Category: South East

The Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, has said human beings cannot thank God enough.

He urged residents not to stop praying for the success of the Godwin Obaseki administration.

Ogie, a lawyer, represented by a Permanent Secretary in SSG’s Office, Mrs. Deborah Enakhimion, solicited support for the administration yesterday while speaking at the annual thanksgiving service of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Deliverance Centre, Benin.

He said: “Without God, we can do nothing. I am aware that many Edo residents are interceding for the state government and Governor Obaseki. Please, do not relent in your prayers and support.”

The SSG, who said it was important to give thanks to God, supported the programme with N1million.

The planter of the church, Prophet John Odigie, accompanied by his wife, Evang. Eunice Odigie and the District Superintendent, Pastor Festus Odunayo, urged people to strive to make heaven.

He said he would continue to tell the truth.

The guest preacher, Pastor Peter Edioma, who took scriptural text from Luke 17:12-19, titled his sermon: “The Blessing of Gratitude.”

Edioma, who is also the vice- president of United Pastors Prayer Association (UPPA), described himself as the spiritual son of the renowned Prophet Odigie in the last 30 years.

He advised worshippers and their guests to be grateful to God and human beings.

A Niger Delta group, the Ijaw Defenders Mandate (IDM), has dismissed a “vote of no confidence” passed in the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (Rtd), by a coalition of Isoko youths last Thursday.

In a statement made available to reporters in Warri at the weekend, IDM berated Isoko youths, who also called for the “resignation” of the PAP boss.

The statement, signed by the group’s spokesman, Solomon Igbanwei, said the youth might be ignorant of the modus operandi of the Amnesty programme.

The youth had frowned at the PAP chief for perceived failure to absorb youths of Isoko ethnic nationality into the programme.

But stressing that Ndiomu was the best thing that had ever happened to the Amnesty programme, Igbanwei said Ndiomu had no power to admit people into the programme, hence no one should attack him on such basis.

He said Amnesty programme was not structured along ethnic lines, but a programme that was born out of a struggle for which its actors were admitted to the programme.

“People should understand the difference between Amnesty programme and other intervention agencies in the Niger Delta.

“While the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Niger Delta Ministry were created for the development of the region, PAP was created to accommodate only those that took arms against the Federal Government to resist the alleged age-long oppression in the Nigerian state, in 2009.

“Consequently, there was a time limit given to the ex-agitators to lay down their arms to be part of the programme.

“Many processes, from laying down of arms, to enlisting of ex-agitators into the programme, to training and empowerment and what have you.

“There is serious documentation regarding activities in the PAP. Ndiomu is only working on laid down scripts. He does not have the power to include anyone besides the aforementioned processes. People should get their facts straight before rushing to the media,” Igbanwei said.

The statement advised Maj.-Gen. Ndiomu not to be distracted by such persons, noting that right thinking Niger Deltans were proud of his productive leadership in his few months in office.

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, has promised to implement social security and welfare programmes if elected.

He spoke in Asaba during the inauguration of a 42-member campaign council.

Ogboru described his social contract with ‘Deltans’ as the jubilee agenda, which he said encapsulated the party’s seven-point  programme, focusing on reforms and development in education, housing, agriculture, environment and youth development.

He said over the years, local governments had suffered underdevelopment, promising to give N200million monthly to each of the 25 local governments, which would amount to N5billion monthly.

Ogboru said an APGA government would implement a free and functional education at the primary and secondary school levels.

He pledged  to empower youths by generating employment, saying he would eradicate poverty and improve the well-being of ‘Deltans’ so they could reach their potential towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Chairman of APGA Campaign Council, Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, Director General Chief Wilson Okpubigho, Secretary Chidi Okonji and Director Women Affairs and other members of the councils as well as coordinators from the 25 local governments were inaugurated.

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned corps members to be involved in the 2023 general election, to shun electoral malpractices.

Acting Director General Mrs. Christy Uba gave the warning at the weekend while addressing corps members during their cultural carnival at the permanent orientation camp at Umuawulu/Mbaukwu in Awka South Local Government of Anambra State.

She said NYSC would not shield any corps member found culpable of electoral offences, but would hand over such persons to the state for prosecution.

Uba said the exercise was voluntary, urging the corps members to remain neutral and apolitical, as well as good ambassadors of their institutions, families and the scheme.

She said: “For those of you who want to participate in the coming elections, know that it’s an ad-hoc assignment and you must be neutral and apolitical. Don’t participate in any wrong manner. Remember you’re not politicians.

“If you fell foul of any electoral law, you’re going to prison and NYSC won’t cover you up. Once they come for you, we surrender you to the state to handle. We don’t want to lose any of you. Your parents love you and we love you too.”

Uba, who was conferred with the title, Nnedioranma 1 of Anambra, by corps members, emphasised the place of discipline and obedience among corps members to the rules guiding the scheme. She said their welfare would remain top in NYSC agenda.

She added: “You must be security conscious in view of the prevailing security challenges across the country. Security is now everybody’s business. Be of good conduct and don’t cut corners because it doesn’t pay. Shun cultism and cybercrime. Drug addictions will destroy you.

“Avoid unnecessary journey. If you must travel, obtain permission. Avoid night travels and free rides, especially the ladies. Make new friends and build bridges. Stay back in the state and learn some of their skills.

“Always communicate properly, using available communication channels. Don’t use social media while seeking redress. Find time to read our by-laws so you don’t run into trouble.”

The state Coordinator, Mrs. Blessing Iruma, described the occasion as a special day set aside for celebrating diverse Nigerian culture, saying all culture were represented at the camp.

“What unites us as a people is much more than what divides us. This is why we’re identifying the similarities despite the differences in our culture,” she said.

Iruma thanked the Acting DG for the visit despite her tight schedule, describing it as home coming.

Bayelsa State Government has said available statistics and data showed that farmers were losing about 60 per cent of their harvest because of lack of accessibility to the market.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Chief David Alagoa spoke at the weekend at a sensitisation workshop in Yenagoa.

He said the only way to succeed was to sensitise those in the rural communities on the benefits of the Bayelsa State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Projects (RAAMP).

Alagoa said RAAMP’s objective was to improve rural access and agricultural marketing as well as strengthen institutional base for effective development through maintenance and management of rural roads network.

He said RAAMP had carried out a sensitisation programme for stakeholders on their roles for effective implementation, noting that the government had met the criteria for the take-off of the programme.

Alagoa said the inauguration of the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) and the release of the state counterpart fund by Governor Douye Diri attested to the fact that agriculture was a major plank to which the government was anchored upon.

He said most projects failed because of inadequate sensitisation programme, adding that RAAMP would take the sensitisation of the rural communities, which were the ultimate beneficiaries of the project, seriously.

He said the project would adopt a strategic approach towards sensitisation in order to bring a wider cross-section of stakeholders on the same page for the success of the programme.

The commissioner said: “Available statistics and data reveal that a lot of farmers are losing about 60 per cent of their harvest because of lack of accessibility to market.”

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) has empowered 415 youths and women drawn from states in the Niger Delta with N500, 000 each, as start-up package for Small and Medium Enterprises.

The beneficiaries were handed over the financial support after five days training in agriculture and its value chains, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and entrepreneurship.

The Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Umana Umana, spoke at the weekend in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, at the graduation of participants in an empowerment programme.

Umana, represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Alfred Alber, said the initiative was one of the many considerations by the Federal Government targeted at the diversification of the nation’s economy.

Describing the empowerment as a timely and laudable project, Umanah said it was to generate employment for women, youths and other vulnerable people in the Niger Delta.

He said the training was expected to prepare the participants for the tasks ahead, adding that the money would be credited by the training consultant, into the bank account details provided by the participants.

Honour at the weekend came the way of Dr. Uwem Effing Ite, Lead, Government and Community Relations, Oriental Energy Resources Limited.

A leading indigenous oil giant, the   Nigerian Optometric  Association, Àkwa Ibom  State chapter bestowed a humanitarian service award to him in recognition of his impactful services to humanity.

The well attended dinner and award night was filled  with glitz and glamour and it had as its theme, 2023: Extending the frontiers – The exceptional eyecare providers, while a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital , Dr. Elijah Chinawa presented the keynote address.

The state chapter’s Chairman, Dr. Idongesit Paul, in a welcome address applauded members of the association for contributing significantly to the “progress, unity, and promote our Noble profession”,  even as he also thumbed up the awardees for their  “ outstanding contributions to the growth and progress of the state.”

Replying, Dr. Ite lavished praises on the association for the gesture, which he said came as a pleasant surprise to him.

“I feel a little bit surprised because I didn’t see it coming. I am humbled in the sense that they thought it is important to recognise and appreciate the works I have been doing”, he said.

In the trajectory of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the name of Dr. Ite can easily be located as his pioneering efforts in CSR have earned him several accolades across the globe.

Blessed with an infectious smiles and a subtle carriage, Dr. Ite comes across like a the mythical genie. Never a boisterous person, he is cool , calm and organised , with characteristics geniality and attitude of fellow feeling.

A man of prodigious intellect, deep thinking , pragmatism, and enviable modesty, an encounter with him strengthen and reassures.

Asked what really spur him to do what he is doing, he said: “ It is  driven by what I see as the significant lack of development and more importantly, poverty. The reason I am driven by this is because of my post graduate training at the University of Cambridge where we were exposed to the reason for poverty especially in the developing countries.

“And it became clear that there is always a gap which government needs to fill. Some of them don’t live up their social responsibility and that is why I became interested in Corporate Social Responsibility with the vision that government has failed he people in this country.

“So, if a company needs to support the Society , somebody has to champion it, because without a champion, companies would not be able to achieve what they want to do within the context of CSR.

‘ So, that is where the motivation comes from , to be able to champion the tool that the companies can use to reach those who may be disadvantaged in the scheme of things.”

On his achievement in CSR,  I have achieved a lot in that regard both in theory and practice. From the  theoretical point of view, I have written quite a number of academic and technical papers in CSR and most of the papers are widely cited by a lot of academics and scholars in the subjects.

“On that basis,  I was given an award in 2015 as the CSR Practitioner of the Year.

“As I am speaking, óne of my students is a Professor and Dean of Faculty in Canada. He was my PhD student and he did CSR research when I was at Lancaster University.

“ From the practical point if view, my 11 years in Shell and five in Oriental Energy have given me creative programs and projects that are benefiting the communities in which these companies are operating. So, there are quite significant achievements.”

Do you derive Joy from championing CSR, he was asked , he responded in the affirmative saying, “ Yes, when I see the smiles on the faces of f beneficiaries.”

Dr Ite , an indigene of Ikot Obio Odongo, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State,  graduated from the University of Cross River State (now University of Uyo), Uyo in 1989 with a First Class (Honours) degree in Geography and Regional Planning. He undertook his postgraduate studies (MPhil and PhD) at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom on the subject of Environment and Sustainable Development, based on a full scholarship award by the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust from 1991 to 1995.

On completion of his studies in Cambridge, he was appointed as Lecturer in Human Geography at Lancaster University, United Kingdom, where he made significant contributions to teaching, research, administration as well as international visibility of Lancaster University from 1995 to 2006. For example, he successfully developed and became the Director of Studies of an innovative postgraduate programme – the MRes in Environment and Development (Overseas Placement). He was also instrumental to the establishment and became the UK Coordinator of the 3-year academic research and development link programme between Lancaster University and University of Uyo, Nigeria on the theme ‘Governance, Environment and Development in the Niger Delta, Nigeria’. The British Council administered the link, with funding provided by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Several staff and students at the University of Uyo are beneficiaries of these and other academic initiatives, which included staff and student exchange, research placement, as well as other forms of human capital development.

Outside the academic environment, Dr Uwem Ite is an internationally recognized

sustainability and external relations professional in the oil and gas industry. The journey started in 2006 when he was head-hunted and appointed as Sustainable Development

Coordinator by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).

His other roles in Shell Nigeria include Team Leader, Audit Compliance, Monitoring and Evaluation; Team Lead, Information, Education, Communication and Capacity Building as well as External Relations Adviser (Non-Technical Risks Integration). Between 2006 and 2017, Dr Ite made significant contributions to the success of Shell business in many spheres.

Dr  Ite joined Oriental Energy Resources Limited in 2017 as Head, Community and Government Relations. During the last five years at Oriental Energy, he has worked assiduously to ensure that Oriental Energy’s social investments and stakeholder relations are in line with international best practices. This is evident in the outcome of various projects and programs implemented by Oriental Energy in Akwa Ibom State from 2018 till date.

He is a recipient of several awards and recognitions. For example, during the 2015 edition of the Social Enterprise Report and Awards ceremony held in Lagos, the panelists recognized Dr Ite’s pioneering contributions to corporate social responsibility in Nigeria and he was named Nigeria’s Corporate Social Responsibility Practitioner of the year. Furthermore, in early 2022, Dr Ite was nominated and inducted as a Fellow of the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria, which is affiliated with the Institute of Corporate and Social Responsibility in the United Kingdom.