Bayelsa State Government says it is committed to providing comfort for citizens who are at various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps established to accommodate victims of the unprecedented flood in the state.

No fewer than 300 communities have been ravaged by the floods while close to one million persons including children, women, men and the aged have been rendered homeless.

The State Commissioner for Environment and Chairman Bayelsa State Flood Mitigation Committee, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri, spoke to reporters when the members of flood committee visited the Oxbow Lake IDP camp in Yenagoa.

Gbaranbiri said that more than 4,000 individuals displaced by the floods were being camped at the Oxbow Lake camp alone.

He added: “Whatever we are doing here, is being is being replicated at the Igbogene camp and other camps.

“Medical services have been provided. We are providing food and we have our sanitation unit that is cleaning the camp daily. We ensure that there is lighting.

“The government of Senator Douye Diri is passionate about the people and we have an obligation to stand for them in time of crises and challenges.”

He added that relief materials including food items had also been distributed while the second phase of distribution would soon take place, while mobile clinics are going around the state to attend to medical emergencies.

He called on relevant federal agencies to hasten the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari intervention package and come to the aid of the victims in order not to fester the feeling of neglect by the federal government among the displaced persons.

“We need Federal Government urgent intervention,” he added

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba, also called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to prevent future flood by building dams and dredging the River Niger in order to contain water from Cameroon dam whenever it occurs.

Duba appealed to the residents of the flood ravaged state to desist from building on water channels, stating that disregard for natural water channels contributed to the current flood situation in the state.

Duba said: “We call on the Federal Government to do something about this flooding. They said it was the dam in Cameroon that is causing it. Let them do something to contain the water when Cameroon releases the water.

“If they are to build reservoirs, let them build, because we have come to realize that all the water empties to us.”

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus says his administration would establish second industrial layout in the state after Trans-Am3di if elected in next year’s poll.

Abe spoke during a one-million-man parade of his campaign rally, by his supporters in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday.

Speaking at Port Harcourt Polo club, where the youths converged after the march, the former Senator, representing Rivers South-East in the National Assembly, described SDP as the biggest political party in the state currently.

He noted that the industrial when build would be targeted to boost the economy and create job opportunities.

He said: “We have told you that since Trans-Amadi was built, no other industrial estate has been established in this state. We will establish another one.

“We have told you that given opportunities to our people to get jobs and employment is not something to be done by laws or by fiat. We will create an atmosphere through which Rivers people can make money.”

Furthermore, the former Commissioner for information and Communication in the state reiterated his earlier assertion that political parties are mere vehicles to governance, stressing that it is the people that make up the party.

He said: “Finally, I told you before that a political party is nothing but a vehicle. It is the people that make the party. Rivers people, today, you have made the SDP, the biggest political party in Rivers State. You have that power.

All those other parties, because you were there, that was why they were big. Now that you are here, this one too is big. SDP is the biggest political party in Rivers State today.”

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Umana Okon Umana has dismissed allegations against him, including an imaginary and libelous claim of N480 billion fraud as false and baseless.

In rejecting the false allegations made by professional petition writers to the National Assembly, Umana said no fraud has been committed under his watch in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

He so said and no money has been released or expended on the projects cited in the petition.

The Minister explained that in line with his directive at the last meeting of the National Council, adjustments had been made in the 2022 budget proposals of the NDDC to accommodate core regional infrastructure projects based on a new template for the development of the Niger Delta region.

” It is senseless for the petitioners to allege that the compilation of projects to include in the budget proposals of NDDC for 2022 for transmission to the National Assembly is a crime.

“Everything is at the proposal stage; no contracts have been awarded and no money has been disbursed or expended,” he said. “Anything to the contrary is false and should be dismissed in its entirety,” he said.

Umana also refuted another allegation that he sacked 700 workers in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on assumption of duty as Minister.

Umana said he has not sacked or approved the sack of 700 workers of the Commission.

The Minister recalled that on assumption of duty, he was briefed by both the ministry and the NDDC, whose interim administrator at the time complained of a bloated staff strength which made him (the Minister) to ask what the interim administrator had done about it.

The Minister said after the inaugural briefing, the interim administrator of the NDDC never came back to him on any action he had taken or planned to take on the issue and whatever he did about “the bloated staff strength” he had complained of had no ministerial approval.

The allegation of non-performance peddled in the same petition is also baseless. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs reports to the President, and not to hired petition writers. It is the President that assesses the performance of his Ministers.

A socio-political group, Akwa Ibom Integrity Alliance, has accused the Federal Government of belittling Akwa Ibom State by the last minute withdrawal of the names of two indigenes from the recent national honours award list.

The Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Efiong Akwa and the lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom Northwest, Senator Bassey Akpan, were listed for national honours.

However, their names were removed hours to the ceremony, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement signed by Stephen Abia and Imoh Etimudo, chairman and secretary, the group said the Federal Government’s action was capable of disuniting the country, as it seemed the state was belittled.

The body said it suspected that Akpan, the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), might have been dropped by the Federal Government because he was facing corruption case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Granted that the man is involved in a corruption case and other issues bordering on graft, is it not established that in law one is not guilty until so presumed by the court?”

“Does the Federal Government say Senator Akpan is the only Nigerian with corruption baggage whether in court, who was nominated for the honour? Or is he being treated specially because he is an Akwa Ibom son?

“What if in the end the court pronounces him not guilty, how will the wounds inflicted by this shabby treatment be healed?” the statement said.

Anambra State Government yesterday said it would soon begin recovery of expenses incurred in the course of carrying out demolition of illegal structures.

The Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB), Chike Maduekwe, made this known after the demolition of unapproved structures at the proposed airport site at Oba, Idemili South Local Government.

He decried the huge financial implications in carrying out demolition, warning that culprits would not only be arrested, but would also be made to pay for the expenses.

Maduekwe said: “It costs government huge amount of money to carry out enforcement. Henceforth, we will apply the laws. If you make us carry out enforcement against you, we will have you arrested, charge you to court and recover the cost.

“You can see the number of machines and security personnel we went there with. Government needs money to carry out more important functions for the citizenry than following lawless people who refuse to do the right thing.“

“We’ve been at the site before to mark the illegal structures, yet the people went ahead to continue building, just to test the water and see what will happen.

“We carried out what we call symbolic demolition on the unapproved ones to give it a human face and to inform the owners to come and do the needful. If they don’t, the structures will be brought down completely.

“If not for the heavy security we came with, this area would have been invaded by hired youths with motorcycles to attack us.”

Reiterating government’s commitment to bequeathing to the people, a safe, prosperous and green homeland, he solicited citizens’ cooperation to achieve the dream.

He said: “Mr. Governor has pledged his readiness to build a safe, prosperous and green homeland for the people. He’s determined to do that with the cooperation of law- abiding people.

“To all land developers, we want to inform them that the Ministry of Lands has made a new policy that everyone carrying out any project on government land must get a clearance letter from the ministry before commencement.

“The letter will thereafter be approved by the Physical Planning Board; otherwise such building will be declared illegal and will be demolished.

“The governor has given his backing with the directive that government lands are developed for the benefit of the people.”

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has expressed satisfaction about the quality of noodles being produced at the Cross River Noodles Factory.

Ayade, who on Wednesday paid an unscheduled visit to observe the production process, said the product would hit the market soon once it obtained a National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) certification.

An elated Ayade said the federal agency had visited the facility and asked for certain modifications, which the state government had effected.

He hailed the concessionaire for undertaking the final stages of test production preparatory to beginning commercial production as soon as NAFDAC gives the nod, which he believes will happen in a matter of weeks before the Yuletide.

“Today we are at the Cross River Instant Noodles Factory where we are doing the final test run with the Executive Council of Cross River State to witness the production work of the concessionaire.

“We want to say we are proud of the concessionaire we have given the factory. Our brand, Calavita and Kisimie, is fully operational and the product will soon hit the market.

“l, therefore, implore Nigerians to patronise this fresh noodle produced only from natural ingredients with the spices having their origin from Nigerian farms and water.”

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“We have organic spices particularly good for children. This noodle is of African origin with natural flavour.

“We cannot hit the markets until we have NAFDAC approval. NAFDAC have come here and done their specification studies and issued us a report, which we are closing out on.

“We have met their requirements. We are going through our own internal check list and once we are satisfied with our checklist, we will ask NAFDAC to come for final inspection.”

Ayade, who disclosed that the state government was working on partnering Federal Government’s school feeding programme, used the occasion to appeal to the Federal Government to partner the concessionaire for supply.

He said: “I think that for the school feeding programme we can vitaminise these noodles. We can produce and incorporate growth hormones into these noodles.

“Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs should please encourage and patronise this factory so that our youths, who depend on noodles as a means of fixing breakfast or launch, will depend on these noodles to have very healthy food.

“This is how Third World countries advance into First World. The Federal Government must support the sub-nationals by bringing them into a prosperity highway because this is the only way the nation can grow.”

Tension is brewing between youths of Okpanam and Asaba over a boundary dispute in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Okpanam youths had insisted that the boundary between both communities was at Macdons on Okpanam road, while Asaba youths contradicted the claim, saying the boundary was the legislative quarters on Okpanam road.

In a statement by its President, Lucky Okolo, Okpanam Youths Organisation directed property and business owners operating from Macdons to rename their signposts to reflect the change.

The statement said: “This is to inform the public, particularly property owners, business owners, shops and hotels as well as beer parlour joints operating in Okpanam from Macdons that they should rename their signposts from Asaba to Okpanam, Asaba road, Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government within two weeks of this publication or face the consequences of non-compliance with the directive.”

Reacting in a statement, Asaba Community Council urged the public to ignore the directive.

Its Chairman, Ogbueshi Obodo Okediachi, said the boundary between Asaba and Okpanam was the legislative quarters and not Macdons.

The statement said: “This is to inform the public as well as Okpanam Youths Organisation that the boundary between Asaba and Okpanam is the legislative quarters on Okpanam road and not Ekwumeku roundabout. This is a fact that has been established in Asaba and Okpanam.”

Efforts to reach the chairmen of

Oshimili South Local Government, Kelvin Ezenyili and his Oshimili North Council counterpart, Innocent Esenwezie, proved abortive.

Former Enugu State governor Chimaroke Nnamani has dismissed as false, an allegation that $41.8million disappeared under him as the chief executive officer.

Dr. Nnamani, the senator representing Enugu East, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said: “I never met or inherited $41.8million as governor. Enugu State of 1999 to 2007 did not have $41.8million to be stolen or embezzled.”

He described the allegation as “a mere imagination of my accusers and it is at best a beer parlour gossip because nothing of such happened under my watch as the governor.”

Nnamani said: “I maintain a residence in America and just came back after five weeks. The FBI is not looking for me and no assets of mine have ever been seized in the United States.”

He explained that what his accusers were quoting was a mere complaint to the Department of Justice associated with usual interim forfeiture after such complaints, noting: “The interim forfeiture was discharged after investigation and judicial review.”

He advised his accusers to do something positive, because accusing him falsely would not add value to anyone.

Said he: “If my recent political activities make some people uncomfortable, they should know that democracy is a matter of choice.

“It is an open field; you choose your lane to play. Everyone has a choice; I deserve the right to choose my lane. I do not expect people to infringe on my right of choice.”

Nnamani said 2023 politics should be played with every sense of responsibility and loyalty to the nation, without bitterness, adding: “All we strive for is a better Nigeria.”

Gunmen yesterday attacked the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh and members of his team.

The incident, it was gathered, happened at Iboko, in Izzi Local Government.

Odoh confirmed the attack to reporters in Abakaliki.

He alleged that the gunmen were members of Ebubeagu Security Outfit.

Odoh said they shot and damaged a car in his convoy, but luckily no one was injured.

He alleged that the attack was a declaration of war on him and his supporters by the state government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said: “We went to inaugurate a campaign office. Before we left, I received calls from some persons, threatening me not to go. Even the DPO of the area called and said I should shelve the visit, as he was under pressure over the visit.

“But I said I am the APGA candidate, I should be able to visit any part of the state I want to govern. So, I went with my security guards and supporters.

“Before we got there, they had locked up the office with chain, to prevent me from access the place. We met our supporters in front of the building and addressed them.”

“While returning, they attacked and shot at us, but luckily, no one was injured. They, however, damaged one of the cars.

“They have taken the battle directly to us. We want the world to understand what is going on. The war has been declared on us and we are going to take the war back to them.

“We are not cowards, we are not fools. This is not how to run a democracy. They can’t force anyone on the people. The people of Ebonyi have a right to select their leaders. We have a right to reach out to our people.

“I come from a local government. If they continue like this, will Nwifuru (APC governorship candidate) go there to campaign?”

The Chairman of APC in the state, Stanley Okoro, who is also the security consultant to the government in charge of Ebubeagu, could not be reached for comments.

Leo Oketa, spokesperson for the APC governorship candidate, Francis Nwifuru, did not respond to the messages sent to him.