The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • IYC to Fed Govt: relocate IOCs’ headquarters to Niger Delta

    IYC to Fed Govt: relocate IOCs’ headquarters to Niger Delta

    Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government to activate plans to relocate the headquarters of International Oil and Gas Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta to the region.

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, by its spokesman, Amb. Binebai Princewill, said with the recent relocation of some departments of federal establishments to Lagos, there was no more justification for refusing to relocate IOCs’ headquarters to their operational bases in the region.

    He urged President Tinubu, his National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, Federal Executive Council (FEC) and other relevant agencies to set machinery in motion to move those IOCs to the Niger Delta without further delay.

    He said: “IYC believes that there will be no excuse on the part of the Federal Government and multinational oil companies in relocating their headquarters, as Niger Delta people cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs in this country.

    “There should be no argument, as the Federal Government has relocated Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.

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    “As if that was not enough, it was later followed by announcement from the Central Bank of Nigeria that it would be moving some key departments from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve centre.

    “The Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) also said it would relocate some of its departments and units from Abuja to Lagos despite spending N70billion to build a new headquarters in Abuja.

    “From the foregoing, we believe IOCs’ headquarters will urgently be relocated to their original base, which is the Niger Delta, without any further delay. You cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. This is long overdue and if not done may lead to unimaginable consequences.

    “Before our very eyes, a multinational oil company was sold through the back door to some cronies in the Presidency. In a similar manner, Shell is planning to sell off its onshore assets under the guise of divestment to a consortium without giving host communities the right of first refusal, coupled with the many years of environmental damage without clean-up.”

    The spokesman urged the President to roll out well-conceived policies to check the current inflationary trend in the country with a view to ameliorating the sufferings of the masses.

    He said: “The steady fall of the naira against the dollar, removal of fuel subsidy and hike in pump price of fuel have made prices of commodities in the market astronomically high and they have affected virtually every aspect of citizens’ lives.

    “Niger Delta people, particularly the Ijaw living in the riverine parts of the country, are more affected in this biting economy. For example, if a litre of fuel is sold for N700 in the cities, the riverine communities’ indigenes, who depend on black market, will be buying a litre of fuel above N1,000. The situation also has concomitant effect on the prices of other commodities they will be buying at the markets that are located in the rural areas.”

  • Oborevwori backs council autonomy

    Oborevwori backs council autonomy

    • Governor inaugurates Warri South cottage hospital

    Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori yesterday expressed his support for the financial autonomy of local governments.

    He inaugurated an ultra-modern 39-bed cottage hospital built by the Warri South Local Government, chaired by Dr. Michael Tidi.

    Oborevwori said: “With this hospital, our people, our women and children will have access to quality and affordable health care services. This is what cottage hospitals are known for. This is why I’m in support of financial autonomy for local government administration.”

    Hailing the council leadership for showing example of why local government administration was needed, the governor said it was further proof that once the local government administration was given financial autonomy, it would achieve a lot.

    He, therefore, urged other council chairmen to emulate Tidi, whom he said, had done very well.

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    The governor said the hospital would advance the distribution of quality health care at the grassroots, adding that the gesture was in line with the cardinal programme of his administration.

    He said as a grassroots politician, he believed in the bottom top approach to governance, noting that the people must come first in whatever they were doing.

    Former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, described the project as a dream come true.

    He congratulated the council boss on the feat.

    Tidi appealed to the governor to assist the council with qualified medical personnel, to put the facility to maximum use.

    The hospital has administrative room, card room, nurse station, male and female wards, private ward, paediatric ward, chief matron room, labour ward, milking station (for breastfeeding mothers), recovery rooms, main theatre, scan rooms, scrub and storage room, theatre, treatment room, laboratory, chief medical consultancy office and conveniences.

  • Diri dissolves exco, holds valedictory session for members

    Diri dissolves exco, holds valedictory session for members

    Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri was yesterday inaugurated for his second tenure.

    He pledged to implement a 10-year comprehensive economic plan for the development of the state.

    He immediately dissolved the executive council (exco), which worked with him in the last four years.

    Diri, alongside his deputy, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, took fresh oaths of office and allegiance administered by the Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Ayemieye, at Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa.

    Present at the inauguration were Vice-President Kashim Shettima; his Liberian counterpart, Jeremiah Kounang; former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

    Also present were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; former Senate president, Bukola Saraki; Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara; ex-National Chairman of PDP, Iyorchia Ayu; former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson; Senator Ben Murray-Bruce.

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    Other dignitaries included Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Umaru Bago (Niger), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa).

    Diri and his deputy won re-election on the platform of PDP at the November 11, 2023 governorship poll.

    They received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on November 17.

    Diri highlighted the achievements of his administration in his first tenure in sectors, saying his second term would focus on addressing the challenge of lack of access to potable water by the residents.

    He said: “With this vision in mind, we have developed a comprehensive and ambitious 10-year economic plan for the state. This plan outlines our strategies and initiatives to diversify and strengthen our economy, create jobs, attract investments and improve the standard of living for the citizens.

    “To kick-start the implementation of this economic plan and to engage stakeholders, we are excited to announce the upcoming Bayelsa State Economic Development Summit in Yenagoa. This summit will serve as a platform for sharing ideas, discussing opportunities and forging partnerships to accelerate the economic growth of our state.

    “We shall focus attention on areas with comparative advantage, including agriculture, rice, cassava and oil palm production, seeking new partnerships and investors along the way.”

    He added that in his second tenure, citizens would have a more active and direct role in shaping and participating in the economy, stressing that “from small business owners and entrepreneurs to industry leaders and investors, everyone has a part to play in driving economic growth and prosperity.”

    Diri announced the dissolution of the exco and congratulated the political appointees on their “sacrifices and industry as our first term in office officially ended today.”

    He called for unity and togetherness towards overcoming obstacles, achieving a great feat and building a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Bayelsa State.

  • Rivers Assembly crisis: Court to rule on preliminary objection motion Feb 27

    Rivers Assembly crisis: Court to rule on preliminary objection motion Feb 27

    Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt will on February 27 deliver ruling on a preliminary objection motion by the police on a fundamental human right suit by the former Leader, House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, against them (the police).

    Ehie, now Chief of Staff at the Government House, was invited by the Nigeria Police Force on his alleged involvement in the invasion of the hallowed chamber of the assembly on October 29, 2023.

     Ehie, via an exparte application before Justice Sika Aperioku, prayed the court to restrain the police high command, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Commissioner of Police from inviting, arresting, detaining and or harassing him, pending the determination of the substantive suit on the subject matter.

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    The court granted the prayer and put parties on notice.

    However, on the resumption of sitting yesterday, the police through their legal representation, Celestine Dickson, filed a preliminary objection on the matter before the court.

    Dickson is challenging the jurisdiction of Rivers State High Court to hear the matter filed before him by Ehie, against the police.

    Arguments were heard from both parties, and the judge adjourned till next week for ruling.

    Recall that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, had shortly after the burning of the chamber, petitioned the Police and accused Ehie of masterminding the destruction of the hallowed chamber, leading to the invitation and trial by the police.

  • Abia communities hail NDDC on roads’ rehabilitation

    Abia communities hail NDDC on roads’ rehabilitation

    Communities in Arochukwu, Abia State, have expressed appreciation to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), over the ongoing emergency repairs of failed sections of Atani-Amuvi-Amankwu Road and the eight-kilometre Atani Phase II Road.

    Leaders of the communities spoke when the NDDC Executive Director (Projects), Sir Victor Antai, led a team of the commission’s directors and engineers to inspect the roads with concrete drains and solar-powered street lights.

    Speaking on behalf of Ugbo community in Arochukwu, Eze John Okoro, in a statement signed by the NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, hailed the commission.

    He said: “This road you are seeing today was more like a track road, mostly marshy and undulating, before NDDC intervened. Vehicles couldn’t come into our villages through this road. But today in our life, through NDDC we now have a smooth and asphalted road.

     “On behalf of my community, I’m saying a very big thank you to NDDC, while we appeal for a bridge across the river so that we can access our farmland and then open up the communities.”

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    Speaking in the same vein, the Eze Ogo Atani, Eze Dr. Charles Okoro, lauded the NDDC for its intervention, noting that for many years, the road, which linked many communities, had been impassable.

    He said: “Words are not enough to express the joy of the people who are now enjoying quality roads with the accompanying benefits in social and economic activities.”

    He observed that the roads re-constructed by the NDDC had been in deplorable condition for many years.

    Said he: “Most of our communities were not accessible by road before the NDDC came to our rescue. We are very grateful for this assistance and we appeal for more in the area of electricity where we need transformers.”

    Giving his impression after the inspections, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, said the road network would have a major impact on the lives of the people, as it would open more opportunities for business and socialisation across state boundaries.

    Antai assured the community leaders of the commission’s commitment to the infrastructural development of the Niger Delta.

    He said: “When the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice. The current board and management of the commission are transforming the entire Niger Delta. We have gone round this community and you can see for yourselves the beautiful job done by the contractor. I am satisfied with the quality of work done.

    “The roads have drains on both sides and are complimented by solar-powered street lights. These street lights form part of the Light up the Niger Delta project of the commission.”

    Antai pledged that NDDC would not relent in its resolve to transform the Niger Delta by executing impactful projects in the region.

    He said: “Arochukwu is very close to Akwa Ibom State, as it shares boundaries with Ini Local Government in Akwa Ibom and is also close to Cross River State. The good road network in Arochukwu is one step away from getting across to the neighbouring states.

    “I must commend the contractor for doing a good job. We will encourage other contractors to step up their game and deliver quality jobs.”

    He commended youths from communities in Arochukwu for being very peaceful and providing an enabling environment for the contractor to keep to the job specifications and standards set by the NDDC, to ensure quality delivery.

  • ‘Intervene in land disputes between Delta, Ondo, Edo’

    ‘Intervene in land disputes between Delta, Ondo, Edo’

    Delta State Government has appealed for intervention by the National Boundary Commission (NBC), in land disputes between the state and its neighbours, to avoid breakdown of law and order.

    Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme spoke yesterday at the NBC office in Abuja.

    Onyeme, the chairman of Delta State Boundary Committee, said ‘Deltans’ have been subjected to provocation in the disputed areas by their neighbours.

    Said he: “I am here on the directive of the governor of Delta State, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, to present to the commission some critical boundary disputes that have been brought before Delta State Boundary Committee, because Delta State Government has confidence in the ability of the NBC, as empowered by the law, to do justice to the matters brought before it.

    “The disputes are between Delta State (Warri North Local Government) and Ondo State, Delta State (Ukwuani Local Government and Edo State, Delta State (Ethiope West Local Government) and Delta State and Edo State (Ugbodu Community, Aniocha North Local Government ).”

    The deputy governor thanked NBC for intervening in inter-state boundary disputes and hoped that the commission would address the issues raised.

    “For us at Delta State Boundary Committee, we have made efforts to appeal to our communities to live in peace with one another, thereby enhancing the spirit of peaceful co-existence at intra and inter-state levels, in line with the MORE Agenda of Governor Oborevwori’s administration.

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    “Delta State Government is appealing to the NBC to intervene in these disputes, with a view to resolving same, in order to avoid further provocation that may lead to breakdown of law and order in the areas, despite appealing to our people to live in harmony with their neighbours.”

    Director-General, National Boundary Commission, Mr. Adamu Adaji, thanked Delta State Boundary Committee for being the first to visit the commission in this dispensation.

    He said the visit was an evidence that the Oborevwori administration did not want anything that would affect negatively, its MORE Agenda.

    Said he: “Let me start by commending you and saying you have set the pace as the first in the new administration to pay this courtesy call.

    “We have had the opportunity of working with Delta State Government. The state has a well-established boundary committee. We will do our best for you to succeed in your MORE Agenda.”

    Adaji expressed shock that the boundary dispute between Delta and Ondo was lingering, noting that the boundary had been properly demarcated, using technical and political approach.

    He assured Onyeme and members of the Delta State Boundary Committee that issues raised would be addressed before the end of the first tenure of the Oborevwori administration.  

  • Reps to investigate NDDC over alleged abandoned shoreline project

    Reps to investigate NDDC over alleged abandoned shoreline project

    House of Representatives has mandated the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to liaise with NDDC to investigate alleged mismanagement and abandonment of Amassoma Community Shoreline Protection Project in Bayelsa State.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Ambaiowei Ebikebina (PDP-Bayelsa), during plenary in Abuja yesterday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Amassoma Reclamation/Shore Protection Project was awarded by the NNDC on June 10, 2019 to IDEKI Services Ltd.

    Moving the motion, Ebikebina said Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa was one of the communities that had persistently endured flooding, leading to the 2022 devastating flood in the area.

    This, he said, sacked communities, creating huge humanitarian crisis, adding that the flood situation was heightened by climatic changes, making the situation increasingly unbearable.

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    He said the people of Amassoma and other areas within Southern Ijaw federal constituency were at risk of facing another devastating flood and displacement from their homes.

    He said that only an immediate action would assuage and give comfort to the Southern Ijaw constituents and avert traumatic experience of the past.

    Adopting the motion, the house said such shoreline project was a critical intervention project, adding that the previous companies must be held accountable for alleged waste of public funds.

    The house urged the NDDC to re-mobilise a contractor to complete the Amassoma community shoreline protection project.

    The house also urged the contractor to engage competent consultants to supervise the project and ensure that it was executed diligently to completion before September.

    The house mandated the  NDDC to assess the project to ascertain the extent of work done by the numerous contractors since the project was first awarded.  

  • Cross River discovers duplicate names on payroll

    Cross River discovers duplicate names on payroll

    • Govt apologises for delayed payment of January salary

    Cross River State Government has said the ongoing audit of the nominal roll and payroll has shown discrepancies in the system, including duplicate names of people.

    The Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Innocent Eteng, said this yesterday while explaining to reporters reasons the payment of January salary of some civil servants was delayed.

    The HoS said by the directive of the governor, “Cross River payroll system should be sanitised and the intention is not to witch hunt or punish any civil servant, not even pensioners. We undertook a comprehensive personnel audit to verify the actual wage bill of Cross River State.”

    This is the second audit in eight months since the government came to power last year.

    He said the first exercise was somehow futile because the results did not match the wage bill, “so the governor said we should look at it and sanitise it a little further. That was why the office of the Secretary to the State Government, liaising with my own office, embarked on another verification that has to do with bank verification.

    “The methodology adopted was that the files of workers should be perused and the nominal role of the entire civil/public service should be matched with the payroll, to see if there are irregularities and disparities. That was what the exercise set out to do.”

    Eteng reeled out statistics of what the audit had revealed.

    He said: “We have a payroll of 53,734 people. Out of this number, 48,552 underwent bank verification and 40,311 have been cleared up to date for payment of salaries.

    “The State Primary Health Care Development Authority PHCDA alone has 2,868 persons. Out of this number, 2,789 have been cleared for payment of salaries, and 77 others, we are still sorting their files to see if there are irregularities. Those who have not been paid are those who have issues.

    “The local government workers, we have 4,229 people. Out of this number, 3,366 have been cleared, and 863 are undergoing sorting.

    “At SUBEB, we have 14,410 officials. Out of this number, 13,286 workers have been cleared for payment of January salary, 139 are undergoing sorting.

    “For the civil service, we have 12,526 civil servants, 10,486 have been cleared for payment of January salary. Those who have issues because of irregularities we are trying to reconcile are 2,040 workers.”

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    “Those who have duplicate names on the payroll are 429, those who have names repeated in banks and payroll have been identified and sorted out. One thousand nine hundred and sixty-four of this number is undergoing sorting; we are trying to see how we can match it.

    “We have 19,701 pensioners, local and state governments. Out of this number, 11,253 have been cleared for January payment. Those with same account number 251 pensioners and those who underwent bank verification 14,419, so the exercise is trying to be thorough and transparent.

    “The intention is that those who are not working should not be paid salary and we cannot have persons who are not working on our payroll. We do not blame this on any MDA or any person, but we know that the act of irregularity is bound to exist in the system and those irregularities must be cut if we want to carry the state forward because the vision of His Excellency is that Cross River State workers should enjoy the dividend of democracy, they should not be owed salaries. As I speak, almost everyone that’s cleared is going to receive salary today because the mandate has been sent to the bank already.”

    The HoS said those in the service, who are found wanting, will face appropriate punishment, including losing their job.

    “The governor is also keen to ensure that those who are unemployed are also brought to the system. We cannot have a system where youths are unemployed, therefore he intends to run a state where people who have certificates are brought into the system and the only way he can do this is to clean the payroll. That was why the exercise was undertaken.”

  • Abia condemns butchers’ protest

    Abia condemns butchers’ protest

    Abia State Government has reacted to the street protest by the Umuahia Butchers Association over an unfounded speculation that it plans to relocate the abattoir to another area.

    The government described the protest as ill-conceived, saying there was no truth in the speculation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the butchers took to the streets of the state capital last Thursday over an alleged plot by the government “to forcefully evict them” from the abattoir located at Mgbarakuma Community, near Umuahia.

    They alleged that the plot was being hatched by the community and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Navy Capt. Macdonald Uba.

    The protesters, who marched through the major streets of Umuahia, ended up at the Government House in Umuahia, displaying placards with inscriptions.

    Some of the inscriptions read: “Save us, our governor”, “Ministry of Lands, Garki land is not for sale, please leave us”, “Abia people, slaughter Garki is not for sale”, among others.

    In an interview with reporters, the President of the association, Chief Ngozi Williams, said the abattoir had existed at Mgbarakuma since 1994.

    According to Williams, the host community had, in the last two years, made several attempts to force them out of the abattoir.

    He said: “The community had gone as far as selling some parcels of land that make up the abattoir to individuals.

    “We were relocated from the old Garki in Umuahia Town to this place in 1994 during the military administration of Col. Ike Nwosu (rtd.) and the abattoir was inaugurated by the then Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Chiroma.

    “But the Mgbarakuma indigenes came up about two years ago and asked us to leave the place.

    “They claimed that government had revoked the land.

    “Ever before that time, about six hectares of the land were sold to unknown individuals by the community,” Williams said.

    He also said about a month ago, the governor’s aide started fencing the abattoir, claiming that the place had been sold to him by the government.

    “About two to three weeks ago, he brought armed operatives of the Operation Crush to manhandle and chase us out.

    “Most of our property were damaged.

    “We have written to several agencies of the government to register our complaints,” Williams further said.

    He said the development had affected their businesses and appealed to the government to come to their aid.

    “If the government doesn’t want us to continue doing our business in the present location, it should relocate us to another place within Umuahia.

    “This is because it is only the government that has the right to relocate us and not individuals,” Williams said.

    But reacting to the protest and allegations by the association, the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Ebere Ubani, said the butchers were not asked to leave the abattoir.

    Ubani also said that the association was seeking for ways to divert people’s attention from the actual issue on ground.

    “We have never asked them to leave, all we are saying is perform your corporate social responsibility to us as the host community,” he said.

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    Also, the security adviser to the governor described the allegations made by the butchers as “spurious”.

    Uba said the construction works taking place in the market were meant to improve the state of the abattoir and not to evict the butchers.

    He said: “We have begun the fencing of the cattle market in Lokpanta and extended the same to the abattoir in Mgbarakuma.

    “We at no time told them to relocate or to leave the place or plan for the place to be used for any other purpose than what it is currently being used for.

    “The thing is that whatever be their reasons for resisting any further improvements in the market is a figment of their imagination.

    “And I think I should say their resistance is based on their selfish interest.”

    The Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Mr Ken Nwosu, who received the protesters at the Government House, appealed to them to be peaceful and law-abiding.

    Nwosu said protecting the interest of the people remains paramount in the government’s agenda.

    He said: “The letter you have brought to us will definitely be delivered to the governor.

    “I know that issues concerning abattoir and cemetery are under the local government’s jurisdiction.

    “So, your letter will also be delivered to the Transition Committee Chairman of Umuahia South Local Government where the abattoir is situated.”

  • ‘Varsity will produceself-sufficient graduates’

    ‘Varsity will produceself-sufficient graduates’

    The Vice Chancellor, Henry Seriake Dickson University (Hensard), Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, Prof. Dileep Kumar, has said the university is out to produce self-sufficient graduates, who will become employers of labour, rather than job seekers.

    He made this known during the Batch ‘B’ Aptitude Test and Screening of Applicants into the institution, held at Hensard University take-off campus in Toru Orua.

    Kumar said what makes Hensard University different  from others is that it is focused on entrepreneurship and practicals, with the objective of training students, who will come out to tackle the problems in the society.

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    He said: “If any academic system is not integrating practical skills with the theory they are learning, I am not sure these students will fit into the labour market.

    “So, being different from other universities, this is one of the visions of the founder, Senator Seriake Dickson- entrepreneurial education, and he believes he is going to practise it and this university is totally focused on entrepreneurship.”

    Some of the applicants, who spoke to reporters after the exercise, hailed the learning facilities and the ambience of the university.