The Nation Newspaper

Category: Niger Delta

  • Pathetic story of Port Harcourt metal workers

    Pathetic story of Port Harcourt metal workers

    For nearly two years, workers and managers of GMP, a metal company based in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, have gone without salaries. To make ends meet, they convert offices into living quarters. They decided that ‘enough is enough’ recently as they embarked on a protest to force a change in their sorry tale. Precious Dikewoha, who witnessed the protest, reports.

    WHEN the Port Harcourt, Rivers state branch of General Metal Products Limited (GMP), a steel, aluminium and iron fabricating company was set up years ago, it was received with shouts of joy and back-patting. Staff employed by the company, allegedly owned by some former top military brass and other businessman, were ecstatic.

    Years later, the history of the company and the fate of its workers cut a contrasting picture. Both junior and management staff of GMP are hungry and frustrated. They have not been paid for nearly two years. Some of them have lost their accommodation and have relocated to the company’s premises where they reconfigured offices, conference halls, security room and generator houses into living quarters.

    Tired of suffering in silence, the aggrieved workers, joined by members of the management staff, took to the street to express their frustration.

    There is no life in the company. The equipment are either totally dilapidated, rusty, broken or outdated.

    It was gathered that staff morale was at its lowest as security and shift allowances meant for security personnel from September 2010 till date have not been paid. Medical allowance, Christmas bonuses and others are also being owed for over two years.

    The Production Manager of the company, Mr. Job Isaac Okpara, confirmed the sordid state of affairs. Speaking on behalf of other managers, Okpara said the managers decided to join the protest because they no longer understood the direction of the company’s owner.

    He said with the outdated equipment used in production, customers no longer have confidence in their product.

    “We are not happy; the dilapidated nature of the company, including the poor welfare of the staff, has made customers to run away from us. Nobody is having confidence to entrust big amount of money with us. This is company that take contract of millions of naira every month, but today nothing is happening. “

    “Of course, we are aware of the protest, even the head office in Lagos is also aware, the staffs are suffering, including their families. For good 21 months nobody has been given anything, we the managers are also part of the protest. It will be unfair for the mangers to pretend when thing are getting out of hand. As I am talking to you now, some of us are been harassed by our lenders because we were unable to pay.”

    Mr. Andrew Echikwa, the Chairman of Steel and Engineering Workers’ Union of GMP Port Harcourt branch, who spoke to Niger Delta Report, said the demonstration is to create awareness about their plight and to force the company’s owners to take action on their fate.

    He noted that the company decided to work against the agreement reached on 3rd day of July 2008 between the Association of Metal Products, Iron and Steel Employers of Nigeria (AMPISEN) Iron & Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Metal Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (MEPROSSAN) and Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN).

    He said after the intervention of the above groups in 2009, the company brought some money tagged 1/3 of gratuity without proof of how the money was calculated. “Port Harcourt branch rejected the money because it did not reflect our agreement with them. In December 2010 another money was brought, half of gratuity payment and at then workers were owed three months salaries and Christmas bonuses.

    “Meanwhile, they thought workers will reject it as well but with the hungry and frustration we were left with no other choice than to collect the money. Later we called the National secretariat and they tried to fix meeting with the management but all effort proved abortive.

    “We are calling them to assist us and pay us off, we are no longer talking of working in the company because it is almost death. All we are saying now is that most of us are now sleeping in the company because our landlords have ejected us out of their house. Our children have been since sent out of school. In fact we are talking about children school fess but how to eat and where to sleep.”

    Mr. Paschal Mugba, one of the workers ejected out of his home by his landlord due to inability to pay his rent said, “I don’t have any other job, every morning I leave my home to the office and at the end of the month I don’t get paid. For more than 21 months I have not receive anything called salary. Eight months after owing my landlord about a year rent he got angry and threw me out of his house. So what I did was to quickly send my family to my village and relocated to my office, so I sleep in the company’s engine room.

    Another victim, Mr. Chukwuma Jeremiah has vowed to continue to use one of the company’s offices as his bedroom.”You can see almost all the workers are now sleeping in the company. This place is now my home until the company pays the money they owed me. Twenty month’s salary is not small money even if my salary is N1000 in a month, so they should pay me or I remain here.”

  • Benin… A city battling with modernity

    Benin City, the capital of the old Benin Kingdom and present day Edo State, is an ancient city struggling with modernity. Relics of its past glory are struggling for prominence with modernity. Mud houses are being demolished for erection of high-rise buildings and lock-up stores, reports Osagie Otabor.

    It is a common practice in Benin, the Edo State capital, for the front of buildings in commercial areas to be turned into stores . Also affected are some palaces that are supposed to be historical monuments and a reminder of how lords of Benin kingdom ruled over their households.

    Palaces visited are those of Ogiamien, Oshodin, Isekhere, Oliha, Ero and Obaseki. The architectural design of these palaces, its pillars, doors, walls showed the palaces were fortified against external attacks.

    Located along Sokponba Road in Benin City is the palace of late Chief Izevbokun Oshodin. It is opposite the palace of Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, the Isekhure of Benin kingdom. The palace of late Oshodin lies in an expansive land. It was a palace that was once a pride to live in and it housed many.

    A walk into the palace would tell a story of how late Oshodin lord it over his household. There is a courtyard where the family ancestral shrine is located and meetings are held. Its walls are meters-thick and fortified against any attack.

    Apparently, Oshodin, a son of Oba Ovoramwen, would not be happy with the present state of the palace he built after the Benin massacre of 1897. Parts of the palace walls have fallen. Two of the front rooms are now used as beer-palour and a store carved out it is rented out.

    The palace seemed like an abandoned place from the front view. Some rooms have caved in and those rebuilt with blocks are leased out to tenants.

    The present occupier of Oshodin Palace, Richard , 71, said he does not know when the palace was built. He told Niger Delta Report that late Oshodin warned that the house should not be sold or shared among his children but should be inherited and occupied by every first male child.

    Richard said he has been affecting repairs on parts of palace and expressed displeasure with how younger generation does not want to live and learn about their past and culture.

    “From Oshodin, the house was inherited by his son, Idahosa. After the death of Idahosa, my father Obamwonyi was in charge and now it is me. We have planned to re-build the palace. I don’t use sand. If the pillar falls, I won’t use sand but cement. This place used to be filled with people. It was like a market place. We hold family meeting here where Oshodin used to hold meetings.

    “We also worship the ancestors here in this hall. This house cannot be destroyed. The Oba of Benin will not allow it to be destroyed. White men used to come to see a room for Olokun, the sea goddess. We just had worship for Olokun.

    “We don’t get any support to maintain the building. My son will agree to live here. There is no first son that will not agree to live here. It will not be proper. I lived in the North for 30 years. I wanted to stay because I like there. There was nothing to do as there was nobody to hold the house so the family asked me to come, so I came. My son is here living with me. I am responsible for any repairs. I also worship the gods what we call Airou’ Erha.”

    On what would happen if his son chooses not to worship the gods, Richard said his son was already being tutored on the tradition of the palace, stressing that the family would not allow him live outside the palace.

    The street on which the Isekhere Palace is located is named after it. The Palace is owned by a family that played a very important role during the coronation ceremony of an Oba. It is the Isekhere that takes the Oba across the Omi oteghele River on his way to ascend the throne. The river is no longer there but a symbolic bridge is constructed on it.

    The Isekhere Palace was built in 1979 and it is not as big as other palaces. Chief Otasowie Isekhere that took the present Benin Monarch across the river died in 1987. His son, Derrick that took over was not at home when NDR visited. His mother, Osemwenvie and two brothers who spoke said they felt abandoned and worried about the neglect of the palace by concerned authorities.

    Osemwenvie showed a photograph of her husband taking the Oba across the symbolic river using the Obele (paddle).

    She said: “We want attention of the state government especially in maintenance of the Moat here and the uplifting the palace from its present state. We are abandoned. Nobody regard us now. We want this palace to be regarded as a tourist site. Many people don’t know about the function of this palace”.

    Her son, Osasumwen, said the Oba wanted to build a big palace for them but those he sent built a small palace. He said they would be happy if the status of the palace is lifted.

    Along Oba Market Road is the second recognised edifice after the Benin Monarch palace. It is a large palace built shortly after the Benin massacre by late Chief Agho Obaseki, a former Iyase of Benin Kingdom.

    Obaseki was named the administrator of the Benin kingdom by the British after Oba Ovoramwen was exiled to Calabar. It is said that he built the palace just like the Oba Palace to suit his position and status. The door of the palace tells a story of past Obas. There are over 13 buildings within the palace walls.

    It is now difficult to appreciate the beauty of the palace from the front and side becuase traders have occupied surroundings.

    Just as the Oshodin Palace, some rooms in Obaseki’s palace have caved in. A carved out wall that used to be his library and sickbay is not well-maintained. Photographs were not allowed taken in some section of the palace. A tour guide showed several courts where Chief Obaseki received foreign visitors, a court for general meetings called Ekun N’ Óghada, a place of worship and spiritual doors. A well that served as source of water for the household has been covered.

    Grandson of Chief Obaseki and caretaker of the palace, David Gaius-Obaseki said there are many traditional and cultural things useful to historians at the palace.

    David said only family members are allowed to live in the palace presently and that the family planned to make it a tourist centre and make it attractive for foreign visitors.

    He said: “Visitors do come here occasionally; some come for academic research. The maintenance of this edifice is our priority. Every September, we meet here to celebrate the anniversary of our father. We have not made any proposal for the edifice to be listed as a world heritage site.”

    “The man, late Chief Agho Obaseki was the Iyase of Benin Kingdom. I am a grand-child of Obaseki who died in 1920. Obaseki was famous, brave and served administratively to the admiration of the white men. The title Obaseki is now a family title. This is the Obaseki family of Benin ancestral home. After the Oba Palace, this was the second recognised edifice in Benin kingdom”

    He said it was wrong for any members of the royal families to sell their ancestral palace, stressing that those who made the mistake devalue themselves. He said such first sons lost their position as the first son, adding,”They never make it with all the money they make. The house where a man lived in Benin can only be bequeathed to the senior son for retaining family values.”

    Youth President of the Obaseki family, Hudson, said they want the building preserved for future generation.

    The over 20-room Ogiamien Palace, built in about 1130 AD, is listed as a national monument. It is the only building that survived the British Expedition after a large part of Benin City was burnt. It is located along Sokponba road and has eight courtyards.

    There is an entrance called Urho-Erinmwin used only by the Oba whenever he visited. Nobody passes through the door and it is presently blocked. The palace has a healing chamber for curing sicknesses and a graveyard where past Ogiamiens are buried.

    From the outside, the Ogiamien Palace seemed badly in need of painting. Part of it is now used for selling wood. The present Ogiamien was said to have travelled out when our reporter visited.

    A Benin Kingdom site said: “The Ogiamien Palace monument has enormous cultural tourist potentials which can fetch revenue for community and government if properly harnessed, packaged and marketed. It is a focal point in Benin history and architectural design and serves as education and research centre for cultural bodies and students all over the world.”

    The Ero and Oliha palaces are a beauty to behold. Ero Palace is at Urubi. Chief Ero was not at home when the Nation visited.

    Walls in some unoccupied rooms at the Oliha Palace have collapsed. It is said to be as old as Benin kingdom but was not on as large as its present state. Chief Edionwe Oliha, the present Oliha of Benin said he had to live in the palace to represent the larger family and the ancestors on earth.

    He said: “A palace is a conglomeration of structures in a particular place. This palace is as old as Benin Empire itself. This is an ancient palace which started during the time of the Ogiso. For the fact that it was not as large as this, it started from a small structure. As time progresses, it became very large.”

    “As a matter of fact, the system here is a primogeniture system. A thing that nature bestow on you, there is no way you can deviate from it. You cannot be the head of this place and go and stay in another paradise somewhere because there are a lot of ancestral assignments you perform here. My staying here is to be able to represent the larger family and the ancestors on earth.

    “A lot of things need to be done to preserve these ancient palaces. There is the need for Federal Government intervention to preserve the walls and structures of these palaces. Most of the chiefs that stay in the palaces need assistance to leave palaces as they were in past centuries.

    “The Ministry of Antiquity are supposed to be responsible for the sustenance of the palaces. For the culture to be sustained, it is not a responsibility to be shifted to one man. We will be happy to get help to enable these palaces stand the test of time.”

  • Rivers agency, Etche communities on war path

    A proposed agriculture project of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) in Etche Local Government Area of the state may have hit a snag over compensation for landowners in eight communities that host the project.

    Already, the landowners in Okuragu, Umuanyangu, Okomoko, Egwi, Odagwa, Ulakwo Akwa and Obibi are spoiling for a fight with the agency over the recompense for their lands acquired and have threatened to fight it out with the RSSDA.

    The landlords read the riot act to the government last Monday, threatening that the only thing that would is the payment of their entitlement for the lands. They accused the agency of giving deaf ear to their peaceful quest.

    They slammed the violation of the agreement by Rivers State government through RSSDA to compensate them like their counterparts from other communities where government acquired land for project.

    They said the attitude of the agency was a clear indication that the government is not ready to dialogue with them, adding that in the same vein they are also not ready to make peace with the government.

    The Chairman of the eight landlords Mr. Gift Oshilem, told Niger Delta Report they had an agreement with the government through RSSDA over what should be done before entering the land, but regretted that instead of honouring the terms of the agreement the government resolved to use of force against the people.

    He noted that the use of force by the government became necessary when the eight communities rejected N30, 000 per plot of land. “No amount of force would make the landlords to relinquish the land to the government when nothing has been paid to them.

    “We have agreed to fight back, somebody cannot take our land for free, we know what the government is looking for, it is bloodshed and we are going to give it to them since they have chosen anarchy to dialogue.”

    “In our last meeting after rejecting the proposed compensation of N30, 000 per plot of land, we told government representative that they should pay us the way they paid other communities in the neighbouring areas. Ours will not be different, we are farmers for God sake, if they want to take our land let RSSDA pay a reasonable compensation to our people or leave our land.”

    One of the other landlords, Mr. Donatus Nwala said: “The trouble started last weekend when government move-in their equipments to the propose land for the project without honouring the agreement with the people. Maybe they thought we are slaves but we are not, we are giving them one week to remove their equipments or see the other side of Etche.

    Effort to reach RSSDA through Mr. Kingsley Uranta, the Head of Media, proved abortive as his phone numbers were unreachable. Text message sent to him were yet to be answered at the time of this report.

  • N96m agric grant for Rivers women

    Women in Rivers State are to benefit from the N96 million ($600,000) agricultural extension and curriculum development grant from the United States.

    The grant was awarded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to the Rivers State Government and Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST).

    NIFA, an agency of the U.S Department of Agriculture, is sponsoring the grant through the Office of International Programmes and Studies (OIPS), School of Agriculture Fisheries and Human Sciences, University of Arkansas, USA.

    Speaking during the foreign partners’ visit to her ministry recently, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West, said the project would be of immense benefit to the women of the state.

    She said: “Before now the women are being marginalised, so the basic thing in the ministry of women affair to be included in the collaboration of this task is to promote the welfare of women in the state, in other to give women the chance to do what they know best.

    “More than 150 women have registered with the ministry to learn some trade that will better their life. This ministry is out to free women from discrimination. The women are the cover group that needs this project so that they can fend for themselves.”

    The Commissioner for Youth Development, Sir Owunwene Wonodi, said the grant would be used by the beneficiaries, including Rivers State Sustainable Development (RSSDA), his ministry and that Women Affairs.

    Sir Wonodi said the programme is to develop human capacity in agric sector, explaining that the first phase is fact-finding while the second will be the release of the fund.

    “Before the release of the fund, we shall equally pay the foreign counterpart a visit to see those things they told us.”

    The visiting group spokesperson, Dr. Pamela D. Moore, who is the principal Investigator/Project Director OIPS/NIFA capacity grant, lauded the ministry for the numerous project embarked upon to economically empower the women, adding that her group was happy to work with the local partners.

  • I’ve never met kidnap kingpin Kelvin , says Ovie of Agbon

    The Ovie of Agbon Kingdom in Delta State, HRM Mike Omeru, Ogurimerime Ukori 1, was recently placed on the spot by the activities of Kelvin Oniarah, the suspected notorious kidnap kingpin, who used Kokori, a community in the kingdom, as a base. In this exclusive interview with SHOLA O’NEIL, Southsouth Regional Editor, the monarch spoke on the Kokori debacle and clarified some misconceptions regarding his perceived role.

    Your Majesty, Kokori, your community has been in the news of lately, what is responsible?

    I know there is problem in Kokori, one of the sub-clans in my Kingdom; there are six sub-clans that make up Agbon Kingdom and Kokori is just one of them. As the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, as soon as I was chosen, I became elevated above Kokori. I am not the Ovie of Kokori, but the Ovie of Agbon. I do not have a palace in Kokori, what I have is my personal resident.

    The reason why I still live there is because there is no palace yet in the traditional headquarters of our kingdom that is Isiokolo, also headquarters of Ethiope East Local Government Area. But now there is plan in place to build a befitting palace in Isiokolo, a building committee is working to actualise a permanent place. It is necessary to make this point because people seem to think that Kokori is a kingdom or the headquarters of Agbon. The headquarter is Isiokolo, where my staff of office was presented to me by the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

    There is a report that your palace or private resident was attacked because Kelvin was arrested during a peace meeting you organised….

    …(cuts in) That is not true; it is a malicious lies being peddled by people whose intention I cannot understand but who certainly don’t mean well for the kingdom or Kokori.

    Kelvin, from what I hear about him, is a very small boy; even his father may not have been born as at the time I left Kokori in 1959. So, there is no way I can arrange meeting for somebody I do not know and whose contact I do not have.

    He may know me, owing to my prominent position in the community and kingdom, but I certainly do not know him and have never had any contact with him. He is too far my junior to have that kind of connection that was claimed. So, the truth is that there is no way I could arrange a meeting with Kelvin. That was falsehood thrown into the minds to cause disaffection and to cast me in bad light.

    Now there is a problem in the sub-clan what are you doing to restore normalcy?

    You see, let me explain the structure of the kingdom to you, so that your reader can understand how it works. Yes, I am from Kokori, but as the traditional ruler of the whole Agbon clan, we have machinery for resolving issues like this.

    My contact with the sub-clan is through council of elders, that is how the administration works. A matter like this can only be tackled by the king when it is brought to his attention through the council of elders of the sub-clan involved, if they feel they cannot resolve it on their own. It is brought to the Ovie-in-council by elders after which the council deliberates and resolves it. It is not just a matter of an ovie, there is a structure and process that is laid down over the decades.

    Having said that, as a father of all the sub-clans, I am trying to reach out to the community to see how far they have gone to help them see that the matter is resolved amicably.

    Kokori has been known as a very peaceful place until this problem started. I have helped to build the community and I have no cause to want to destroy it.

    There are insinuations that the insecurity is because you are not popular with your people

    Whoever is responsible for that is very mischievous and must have said that because of personal or selfish interests. Let me tell you, I was President General of Kokori for over five years and I had an excellent relationship with persons in Kokori and the kingdom.

    The first thing I did as a President General was to tell my people that I did not want to be involved in the issues of oil matters in the community. I kept my words and was never involved in the activities of Shell or any company for that matter because I am not cut out for that kind of thing. You can go and check it out anywhere.

    I have my own personal career and business. You know that I am the Chairman of Niger Cat Construction Company. I was instrumental to the construction of the road that links Kokori to Eku – that is a road that has three bridges. I also did the roundabout in the town and several other projects. I have been very active in the development of the community.

    Since 2005 during my late mother’s burial I have been giving out scholarships to two Kokori indigenes of Kokori every year. Some of the beneficiaries have graduated now and some, about six, are still on as I talking to you. I also have done empowerment programme for indigenes of the community. I sponsored some indigenes to learn trade of their choice and after the completion I funded their start-up with equipment for their trade.

    What is your reaction to reports that the unrest, particularly attack on your palace, is connected with your emergence as Ovie of Agbon?

    There is no connection at all. My emergence as Ovie is completely peaceful and totally rancour-free. It is only natural that I emerged because I was the most senior traditional Agbon Chief from Kokori as laid out by the 1979 edict of then Bendel State, now applicable to Delta State.

    It was because my selection was peaceful and rancour-free that there was no litigation resulting from it; nobody went to court. There were only two qualified candidates from Kokori and during the electoral college votes, the 30 elector present voted enmass for me. Based on that my name was sent to the Agbon Council of Chief.

    At the Agbon (Kingdom) level, there are 51 kingmakers headed by the existing Otota. Of this number, 48 were present during the selection and 43 of them voted to confirm me as the Ovie – 43 out of 48, how popular could a candidate be with that figure? It was after that selection that my name was sent to the State Government for the presentation of staff of office.

    The problem in Kokori predates my selection as Ovie, it has been there a long time ago as far back as 2011 this boy (Kelvin) has been operating and disturbing the area. For somebody to relate it with my kingship or selection as Ovie is a great disservice to the kingdom.

    People are complaining about militarisation of the community, they say they are suffering…

    I am the one that has suffered most from the insecurity in Kokori. I have suffered physically, you see the destruction of my palace and mayhem there. I have also suffered invitation by security because of the activities of this same Kelvin. At a point, the Commissioner of Police invited me for questioning because of the matter. He thought as the king, I was somehow connected in the matter. It was after the meeting that he realised that Kokori is just a microcosm of my kingdom and he saw that I was not in any way connected. I am not the Ovie of Kokori but of Agbon Kingdom.

    If you also remember, it was the insecurity in Kokori that made the governor refused to give me staff of office from September (2012) to march (2013).

    There is also a report that some persons who are not unhappy about your emergence are using the youths to cause mayhem.

    It is possible; most of the things happening in Kokori may not be unconnected. But there is no iota of doubt that I am the most qualified person for the stool. The kingship matter is completely outside the matter.

    Yes, some disgruntled persons may be using the youths to foment trouble but the kingship is not a subject of controversy or debate as I have said time and time again.

  • Ijaw rights’ group hails Clark

    An Ijaw rights and civil action group, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), has praised Niger Delta leader, Cheif Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, for his struggle for the development of the region and Nigeria.

    The IPDI National President, Comrade Austin Ozobo and other members, including Mr Cletus Itari and Mr Afore Theodore, in statement in Port Harcourt, described Clark as a detribalised, trusted and tested legend.

    They said: ‘’Though he (Clark) is not a political officeholder, yet as a national leader of the region, he has brought positive change, and attracted infrastructure and human capital development with his position.

    ‘’Papa Clark brought Niger Delta out from marginalisation, rejection and dejection. He brought the region to political limelight. If it was not Clark, the region would have not be able to come to where we are today. N-delta is very proud of him and words are not enough to express the region’s gratitude.”

    IPDI urged political officeholders and ohter leaders of the region to emulate the good examples of Clark by channelling their energy and activities towards bringing positive change to the oil-rich region.

    Speaking on the Ijaw leaders contribution, the group said: ‘’Right from the 70s till date, Papa Clark has been involved in the struggle to emancipated the region from oppression, neglect both political and economic marginalisation.

    ‘’He established numerous primary and secondary schools, especially in the rural communities when he was a commissioner of education in then Bendel state in Ogbemudia administration.

    “Up till now only the schools established by Papa Clark in the rural communities and roads constructed with his influence remains in the rural communities in the southern delta province of the old Bendel.

    ‘’No additional efforts had been made by both past and present leaders to established more schools, including higher school of learning in the rural communities to improve the educational standard in rural areas,” IPDI added.

    As a result, they passed confidence vote over Chief Clark and assured him of their unalloyed support as “he continued his good works and not to listen to critics and blackmails by men of little value till the region gets to the promise land.”

  • Cooperative society bridges gap in Bayelsa NSCDC

    Lucky Felicia never dreamt of owning a car. In fact, as an inspector in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Bayelsa State, owning and driving a car was never in the budget of Felicia who hails from Peremabiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    “I have never dreamed that today with my little rank, l will be receiving or driving a car”, she told Niger Delta Report. But on September 30th, NSCDC’s Cooperative Society gave Felicia the reason to dream again. In her disbelief, she received a gift of a fairly-used car from the management of the cooperative.

    Shortly after receiving a key to the car, Felicia leaped up in joy, shouting and running round the premises of the state command headquarters. She became a centre of attraction as she could not control her excitement.

    “I am very much excited”, she said, adding: “Since l joined this cooperative l have not benefitted like this. Today as l have this car in my hand I am very happy. I also encourage people who are not yet members.

    “They should try and follow me because l want my fellow officers to have this kind of benefits. I thank God for the commandant and the commandant general that raise this cooperative for the civil defence.

    “ I joined the cooperative 2010. Earlier this year they gave me N150,000 to do my foundation. I will use the car for taxi.”

    Apart from Felicia, other operatives of the command received different types of gifts such as generators, flat screen television and laptops.

    The state’s Commandant, Mr. Desmond Agu, who inaugurated the gifts, said the cooperative was inactive when he took over the command of the state in November 2012. He said with some pep talks and motivation, he was able to revive the programme.

    He advised persons who had yet to become members to embrace the scheme to benefit from the programme. He said being a member of cooperative was better than borrowing money from banks.

    “When they borrow N1million from the bank, in three years you pay with huge interest. But is not the same when you borrow money from the cooperative. I am encouraging them to join. I have more than 7000 personnel here and l will be happy if all of them will join”, he said.

    He said he was interested in the welfare of his personnel. Agu said: “My interest in Bayelsa is not only to command the human being as the commandant. I am commanding the human being and also commanding their welfare.

    “I am interested in their welfare as the Commandant-General Ade Abolurin is interested in the welfare of the civil defence. The minister of interior is interested in the welfare of civil defence so l am also interested in the welfare of my personnel.”

    Also the Chairman of the cooperative, Chief Superintendent Ogbole Fredrick, eulogised the scheme and said it had bridged the gap of standard of living between senior and junior officers.

    He said the junior officers can enjoy good things of life through the scheme. “I am very happy because Cooperative is about welfare. A private can now drive a car. A private can use flat screen television. A private with a monthly salary of less than N50,000 can now take better care of his family.”

    He disclosed that some members of the cooperative had acquired land and built houses through painless loans offered by the cooperative. According to him the cooperative had also assisted people in emergency situations.

    He poured encomiums on the commandant and said his his support and doggedness had assisted the scheme to develop. He said over 300 operatives were so far members of the cooperative in the state.

    “One of the challenges was that people were ignorant of the scheme and they did not believe in us. Some people felt that they would lose their money. But we have overcome the challenges.

    “The new commandant has done very well to ensure that the scheme is working. He spoke to us and helped to initiate some policies.

    “He wanted to make it compulsory for everybody to become a member but he had some challenges because some persons did not believe in keeping their money somewhere.”

  • Delta communities give kudos to Chevron

    Stakeholders in the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between Chevron Nigeria Limited, Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF) and the Delta State government have praised the NNPC/CNL Joint Venture for the commitment to the community development initiative.

    The commendation, according to a statement signed by Victor Anyaegbudike, a Chevron public affairs officer, was made during the third Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Egbema-Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation held in Wellington Hotel, Effurun, Warri last Thursday.

    Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Community Affairs Mr.Vincent Omorie expressed delight on the progress being made in enhancing sustainable development of the communities around Chevron’s operations in Delta State through the GMoU, which has made the people to take the centre stage in the development of their communities.

    Omorie also praised the Foundation for the sustained campaign against oil theft and pipeline vandalism around their areas and encouraged the Foundation to source for more funds from other organisations apart from Chevron.

    “Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) should not be the sole funder of the Foundation. The RDC leadership should look beyond Chevron to other organisations and donor agencies for funds to widen the scope of their activities and sustain development strides in the communities,” he stated.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Community Engagement Management Board (CEMB) of the Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Managing Director of the New Nigeria Foundation, Prof Femi Ajibola, congratulated the EGCDF for the organising the AGM and urged the leadership of the RDC to continue to provide the good example that others could follow in fulfilling its obligations to their stakeholders.

    The Chairman of EGCDF, Chief Michael Johnny, thanked CNL for keeping faith with the GMoU and highlighted some of the programmes of the Foundation, which include familiarisation tour to the communities, inspection of ongoing projects and commissioning of some completed projects in the communities; Non infrastructure projects including capacity building, scholarship scheme and micro-credit and skill acquisition scheme.

    The General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Mr. Deji Haastrup,represented by Mr. Trust Inimgba, PGPA Superintendent, expressed delight over the accomplishment of the AGM and stressed that such display of transparency and accountability would give stakeholders sense of belonging and bridge the perceived communication gap between the RDC leadership and the people.

    He expressed happiness over the achievements of the Foundation which include the completion and commissioning of several projects including housing, teachers’ quarters, electrification, guest houses, cottage hospitals, concrete jetties, potable water facility and town halls. “The greatest success of the GMoU was in meeting its objective of making the communities take the driver’s seat in their own development and ensuring huge empowerment and capacity building opportunities come to the people and commended the stakeholders for their support,” he stated.

    Several traditional rulers, community leaders, Delta State and Warri South Local government officials, CNL representatives, the pioneer chairman of EGCDF, Dr. Isaac Tolar and the immediate past chairman, Mr. Doyah Tiemo and representatives of some banks graced the well-attended occasion which also featured cultural dances from the Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdoms.

  • ‘APC can’t dislodge PDP in Delta’

    Prince Johnson Erijo , a member representing Isoko South constituency ll in the Delta State House of Assembly, is also the Deputy Majority Leader and Chairman, House Committee on Information. He speaks with POLYCARP OROSEVWOTU on the performance of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and other issues.

    How will you rate the development strides of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan since he assumed office?

    I will score him 80 percent because if you are going to Asaba through that lsoko road, you will at least see the level of road network. In Asaba here most of the roads are well tarred, the airport is there for you to see. The man is not just sitting there for nothing, he is thinking about tomorrow, especially the Delta beyond oil initiative and all his projection are geared towards the actualization of his three points initiative.

    All the massive developmental strides being witnessed in the state are all put in place for the actualization of the governor’s initiative. I can assure you of the 80 percent score I gave him. Right from the constituency educational, health and other sectors I can tell you that he has tried. I am in a vantage position to score him; he has done so well, at the end of the tenure you will be able to see clearly what he has done. For now, some of the projects are ongoing.

    What is your take on the view in quarters that the administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has not performed well?

    I will never align to that, if I am aligning to that I will never have scored him 80 percent. I can tell you from a vantage position that the man has done well. At present most of them may not be able to talk well of him, maybe after the expiration of his tenure that is when they will score him higher. Then they will sing praises of him because I know what this man has done. Even Jesus they worship today as Christians, they never gave him that time to succeed or perform but today they are all worshipping him.

    What are the chances of the PDP in 2015 with the growth of the APC?

    I have not seen anything that will remove PDP from the government of Delta state. Nothing APC or whatever can do to remove from PDP government come 2015. They may try in other parts of the country but definitely not in Delta state. PDP, as a family, is very intact and we will continue to carry on like that as a team. I have told you, I did not see it as a threat. I have not seen anywhere in Delta state where APC is prominent or will win.

    What is your view on the North’s position that President Jonathan should not contest for second term?

    The issue is not about North and South but on the constitution and what it states. It is very clear in the constitution on the number of tenure and time anybody can run in the executive arm and of cause we know very well that Mr. President is doing his first term, so if he declares his intention to run for second term, I don’t see anything wrong in it.

    How do you think democracy has fared?

    Going by the different leadership that has come and gone, coupled with military and civilian government, the assessment may be difficult in the real sense but so far so good since we have settled on a democratic government, l will say it has been fairly good.

    Does that imply that civilian government is more in place to that of military? There is no two ways about it, the worse civilian government is one million times better than that of military government. In civilian government you adhered strictly to the rule of law but in military government it is the reverse, they do what they want without considering the law and they go with it. They are aberration and not to be tolerated in any form or guise at all.

    As a lawmaker, what how do you think security challenges, issues of kidnapping and Boko Haram can be handled across the Niger Delta region in particularly and the country in general? The constitution has it clearly that the essence of government is to ensure the welfare and security of its citizenry, so as we are having security challenges across the country, it is a big challenge to the federal and state governments and in Delta state in particular, we are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that we peace, law and order.

    What is you view on kidnap and the arrest of Kelvin Oniarah recently?

    It was a welcome development because Kelvin has been at the helms of most of the high profile kidnap in Delta and other neighbouring states, so his arrest will no doubt reduce drastically the level of kidnapping and social vices in the area. We are all very happy and glad that he will soon be brought to book.

    What do you say about his people asking for his release?

    For any community to think of protecting somebody who was declared wanted for killing, maiming, kidnapping and all sorts of crimes in the society is a baffling thing to be heard. I have never heard of it, it is most appalling and shameful to such community. If I am to be at the saddled with the responsibility of leadership I will allow due process takes its course. Having been apprehended by the law enforcement agents, the next line of action is for him to be tried in a law court and if he is found guilty, he should face the guilty charge as created by the anti-kidnapping law. It is clear that the maximum punishment is death.

    He will be brought here to face the law, most of the crimes were committed here in Delta state. He may have his network all over the place but Delta is the place where most of his havoc where committed.

    Is it true that you have ambition of going to the House of Representatives seat?

    I am just hearing it for the first time from you because I have not even contemplated on it because I don’t want to be like the rich fool in the bible. God will dictate my next line of action in 2015 but right now I am thinking of giving my people effective representation.

    We have someone who is performing creditably well at the Federal House of Representatives, he is actually the Deputy Majority leader of the house. He has not told anyone that he is not running, if at all it will happen I have to seek his opinion first before I will decide the next line of action to take. The more experience a legislator is the better for his people.

    As a lawmaker, how have you been able to affect lives positively in your immediate constituency?

    Well, l suppose such question will be well defined by those l represent so that it does not look as if am blowing my own trumpet but so far by the grace of God, I think I have done so many things l do not want to go into for this moment.

     

  • Bayelsa policemen ‘justify’ boy’s killing

    Emmanuel Victor. Remember him? He was the 20-year-old shot many times at a police checkpoint on the Sani Abacha Expressway, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    Victor was allegedly murdered by three policemen on October 16, 2011 on his way from a nearby Christ Embassy Church. He was killed in the presence of his mother who allegedly pleaded in vain with the policemen to spare her first child.

    His offence? The late Victor was said to have condemned extortion of motorists and commercial motorcyclists at the checkpoint. His killing, which was exposed by the media, attracted global outrage. Civil society groups, human rights activists and political groups took turns to condemn the alleged extra-judicial killing of an aspiring youth.

    The police, following pressure mounted on them by members of the public, identified the suspected killers, conducted an in-house trial which indicted them, dismissed them and handed them over to the state for prosecution.

    Victor’s family is, therefore, hoping and praying that the court will do justice to the matter. The suspects are standing trial at the state High Court (Nembe Division) presided over by Justice Lucky Boufili.

    The court resumed recently with lots of drama. Mathew Eradiri and Monday Umeh were in the dock to give accounts of how the late Victor was murdered. Eradiri said he shot Victor without knowing that his AK47 rifle was in a rapid response mode.

    He said: “I managed to cock my rifle and aimed at his knees in order to demobilise him and to stop him from further havoc, but unknown to me that my rifle was on a rapid response mode.

    “Immediately I fired at him, he fell on the ground. I didn’t know where the bullet hit him at that moment.”

    Eradiri then narrated the event he claimed led to the shooting. Eradiri caused a stir in court after painting a picture of the late Victor as a superman who almost disarmed him and his colleagues with a pair of scissors.

    Boufili listened to the claims of Eradiri that three trained and armed policemen were attacked and injured with a pair of scissors by the late Victor. The accused person, who was first led in evidence by his lawyer, said they were on a stop-and-search duty along the expressway when the incident occurred.

    He said at about 11.45am, they received a “stand down” order asking them to be at alert. He claimed that after they had taken their positions, the late Victor who he referred to as a certain young man, came out of Ebis Mechanic Road.

    While he admitted that the late Victor was well-dressed and was holding a copy of the Bible, he, however, alleged that the deceased was at the same time smoking Indian hemp. He said despite his claims that the late Victor was allegedly committing an offence, he did not care to stop him when he (Victor) walked pass him.

    On why he refused to stop him, he said as a policeman on duty, his job was discretionary, a claim that the judge disagreed with.

    “You cannot see a person committing an offence and you say it is discretionary to stop the person. The Police Act does not give you such discretion,” the judge said.

    But, Mathew said police job is political.

    He, however, went further to tell his story. He said the late Victor was later stopped by the first accused person who, he said, was armed with a smoke gun at the other side of the road.

    “The next thing l saw was that he was inflicting injury on my team leader. I jumped down from the patrol vehicle and started running to them. But before l could get close, the riot gun that my team leader was holding had already been damaged,” he said.

    He alleged that the late Victor had already stabbed his team leader on both arms before he could get to him. He further alleged that his team leader fled for his life abandoning his smoke gun; the late Victor, he claimed, pursued him and still stabbed him in the back.

    The accused person went ahead to say that he went to rescue his colleague but that the late Victor who was chasing his team leader turned to also attack him with the scissors.

    “He stabbed me on my right hand and one on my left hand finger. My rifle fell but l was lucky enough to lay my hands on the rifle. Before I could raise my neck he also stabbed me close to my eye,” he said.

    He also claimed that the late Victor used the pair of scissors to scare the third accused person who came to rescue them with a gun.

    “The third accused person ran away from him. I wanted to run away from him too but l couldn’t because I was already weak,” he said.

    He admitted that he was conscious and in his right senses when he pulled the trigger.

    Eradiri, while being cross-examined by the Prosecutor, Patience Izofa, said though he was dizzy, he could count the number of ammunition left in his rifle after killing the late Victor.

    Izofa after helping the court to establish the scene of the crime and the positions of the accused person when they killed Victor also convinced the judge that Eradiri was conscious when he pulled his trigger.

    Addressing the accused person, the judge said: “Since you said you aimed at his (Victor’s) knee, you can’t aim when you are not conscious.”

    She frowned at the claims of Eradiri that it took a bystander he identified as Michael Nwosu to rescue him.

    She raised two questions: “You want this court to believe you that a third accused person with rifle left two of you bleeding and ran away to allow a bystander rescue you? Do you want this court to believe that three trained police officers with arms were assaulted by a deceased with scissors?

    “I put it to you that the story you have given this court is not a true story of what happened that day. All of you conspired and extra-judicially killed the young innocent man on that day.

    “I also put it to you that the story of several stabbing was an afterthought to exonerate yourself from what you have done”.

    After Eradiri, the third accused person, Umeh, entered the witness box. Umeh told the court that he was on the run when the deceased was shot.

    He said he could not tell who exactly shot the late Victor since he was running at the time.

    He said: “I didn’t go close to the deceased. I didn’t see the young man when he was shot. I was on the run, and I can’t tell who shot him. I didn’t even know he was dead.”

    He admitted that as a police officer, he was trained in the art of self-defence. But when the prosecutor demanded to know whether running away at the time he did was part of self-defence training, Umeh said “no”.

    He also claimed that the day Victor was killed was his first assignment in the state.

    “I barely knew the streets of Yenagoa and was depending on the support of my team members,” he said.

    According to Umeh on the day Victor was murdered, he only cocked his gun to frighten Victor but was not the person who shot him. He alleged that on the fateful day, the late Victor was armed with a pair of scissors and was so ruthless that they (three police officers) armed with AK47 rifle and two K2 rifles as well as a smoke gunner could not stop him.

    Umeh, who said he joined the police 2000, added: “On the October 16, Inspector Lucky, Matthew and I, were detailed to stop-and-search duty at the Christ Embassy Church area of the Sani Abacha Expressway.

    “About 12.04pm, I was at the Christ Embassy side of the road while Lucky and Matthew were on the other side of the road. Suddenly, I saw my team leader (Inspector Lucky) running towards the NNPC mega station. So, I took a better look to see what was happening.

    “I saw a young man chasing him (Inspector Lucky), while Matthew was also running behind the young man in an attempt to stop him. To my surprise, the young man turned and started chasing Matthew with the same scissors. At that point, I ran across the road to help put the situation under control.

    “So, when I got there, I reached for the arm of the young man, but he turned against me and tried to stab me. That was when I cocked my gun and shouted at him to stop, but instead of stopping, he came after me. I had to run away for safety. It was when I was running that I heard a gun shot.

    “While I was running across the road for safety, a patrol van arrived the scene and I was explaining to them that my colleagues were bleeding. At that point, there was no time for me to verify who fired the shot. I didn’t make any attempt to see if the young man was still breathing at all.”