The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Asaba

  • Delta monarchs seek one month extension of PVC’s

    Traditional Rulers in Delta State have called for a one month extension of the registration and collection Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to enable more eligible Nigerians participate in the exercise.

    According to them, the suspension of the exercise on August 17 being proposed by INEC might lead to the disenfranchisement of voters during the 2019 General Elections.

    In a five point communiqué issued on Friday at the end of the quarterly meeting of the State Council of Traditional Rulers in Asaba, the monarchs said “The voters card is key to the conduct of free, credible and transparent elections, and we want to say that the participation of a large percentage of the voting population in the electoral process will confer a measure of legitimacy and credibility to the process”,

    The communiqué also urged the state Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to convene a joint meeting of Local Government chairmen and the state council of Traditional Rulers to deliberate on issues of public importance to Deltans.

    The monarch said such a platform would enable stakeholders to interface on topical national issues as security, permanent voter’s card, national identity card and environmental sanitation.

    The royal fathers appreciated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the excellent administration of the state which had translated to peaceful co-existence and harmony among Deltans and called on the people to continue to tread the part of peace in all their undertaking.

    The monarchs maintained that while peace, development and stability were prevailing in the state, the same could not be said of other states, adding that the bond of peace and unity should be advanced in every situation in the interest of the overall transformation of the state.

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    The Traditional Rulers commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the successful completion of the 30,000 capacity Stephen Keshi International Stadium Asaba.

    They also laudable the state government for the successful hosting of 52 African Countries  participating in the Senior Athletics Competition in Asaba and described the hosting of the tournament by Delta State as a great honour and pride to the Nation.

    “If not for anything else, the tournament will boost the economy of the state and promote the enviable achievements of the Okowa administration to the African continent and the International community at large”.

    They stressed the need for government to galvanize youths in the state to engage more in sporting activities as a way of diverting their attention from crime and other unproductive ventures.

    The Royal fathers described sports a potent weapon for the promotion of internal and external peace and economic development in any society.

  • Traders allege taskforce of extortion

    Some traders outside the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, venue of the ongoing 2018 Africa Senior Athletics Championships, on Friday alleged that the Delta Environmental Sanitation Taskforce was extorting them because of the competition.

    Some of the traders who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba said that the taskforce prevented them from displaying their goods because they refused to part with N2,000 each.

    A drinks and snacks snacks seller (name withheld), said that the demand from the taskforce had frustrated her effort to make good sales.

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    “What is going on here is very bad because the taskforce are really disturbing our business since this championships started.

    “In a day, I don’t make a profit of N1,000 and someone wants me to pay N2,000 before I can display my goods; please I am appealing to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the event to intervene,” she said.

    Also, a widow who sells noodles outside the stadium, said she had incurred debt due to the shameful act of the taskforce.

    She told NAN that the situation was unbearable for traders, adding that they had been badly treated by the taskforce.

    “Packing my goods from one place to another because of the extortion has made me to incur debt.

    “I am a widow, this is a good avenue for me to make money and prepare for my children to resume schooling but the case is the opposite,” she lamented.

    In the same vein, another noodles vendor, said that he parted with N1,000 out of the sales he made on Tuesday before he was allowed to attend to his customers.

    “I am fed up with the whole situation, I paid N1,000 out of the N2,000 they demanded from me and today they have come to request for another N2,000 which I will not pay.

    “We are from Delta State and should not be treated as if we are aliens in our land,” he said.

    A fairly used clothes vendor told NAN that the act of the taskforce was very disgraceful and urged the government to curb their excesses.

    “This is daylight robbery and harassment by the taskforce, how do they expect us to be paying N2,000 daily because we want to support our family.

    “This programme is just for a duration of five days, after that we will not be here, so I see no reason why we should be disturbed, ” she said.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 1,000 athletes from 52 countries are competing in the championships that will end on Sunday.

  • CAA 2018: Water tank crushes car in Asaba stadium

    There was pandemonium on Thursday at the ongoing 21st African Senior Athletics Championships, tagged “Asaba 2018” following the collapse of a 30,000 metric ton water tank at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    Although no life was lost, the incident caused panic amongst athletes, officials and spectators who participated in day two of the events at the championships.

    The collapsed water tank which left several vehicles and a fence damaged, created panic among the athletes and spectators as the game was going on.

    A staff of the Delta State Sports Commission who spoke on condition of anonymity said “All construction works carried out in the stadium were done in a hurry resulting to substandard work. The collapsed water head tank was poorly done hence the collapse. You can even see that the stadium was not completed before the game started.The stanchions of the floodlighting system has not been installed”

    But in a swift reaction, the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has ordered an investigation into the remote and immediate cause of the collapsed Water Tank behind the main bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium during the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships holding in Asaba

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Okowa described the incident as regrettable but thanked God that no life was lost.

    The Governor has directed an immediate investigation into the cause of the collapse of the water tank with a view to unravel the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

    The statement also emphasised that disciplinary actions will be taken against anyone culpable in the collapse of the water tank if it is discovered that someone failed to do the right thing abinitio.

    The statement further assured that Government will take necessary steps to avert future occurrence.

    It urged athletes and the very enthusiastic spectators to continue to savor the beauty of the competition which so far has recorded appreciable success.

  • Julius Yego leads last batch of athletes to Asaba

    The last set of athletes expected to take part in the 21st African Senior Athletics Championships, have all arrived in Asaba yesterday ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

    Leading in the last set of athletes to the Delta State Capital, was former world champion in Javelin event, Julius Yego.

    In a statement issued by Olukayode Thomas, Head of Media and Publicity for the Championships, Yego who came in with Team Kenya, said they were happy to finally be on the ground to compete with the rest of the continent.

    While admitting the past days had been hectic for Team Kenya and some few other countries, Yego who is one of the top names at this year’s event said they would have little time to get ready for action.

    Despite the glitches in their travel schedule, Team Kenya remain resolute in their plan to conquer the continent in Asaba.

    Speaking on arrival at the Asaba Airport, the leader of Team Kenya, Peter Mutai said they had gotten behind them their delayed travel to Asaba and are now focused on winning as many medals as possible.

    “We are glad we are here now, as I said when we came for the DRM meeting we are coming to win as many medals as possible. Despite the hiccups here and there which of course it happens; especially with the number of people coming into Nigeria at the same time we are still focused on taking all the medals. This is a big team from Kenya, with almost 65 athletes and we are focused on what we came here to do.” Mutai stated.

    Aside from Team Kenya, the remaining batches of athletes from Egypt, Cameroun, Sierra Leone, South Sudan among others all arrived yesterday.

    The Asaba 2018 is a record-breaking event as 52 countries will be on parade for the next five days in the newly-completed Stephen Keshi Stadium.

  • We did not sack Delta Line workers – Okowa

    Delta state Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has said his administration did not sack staff of the Delta Line, the state owned transport company.

    Okowa made this known Friday during a quarterly media parley with journalists in Asaba.

    He said that following the commercialization of the state-run transport company, more than 100 staff would be absorbed by God Is Good Motors, the new management of the company.

    “We have already paid four months arrears before the take over and four more months will be paid and they are also to be paid a disengagement allowance which is being worked on now but many opted to move out probably because of the allowance which they are entitled to receive and thereafter any one of them who wishes to continue with the company will be subjected to interviews, so, nobody was sacked because I know that some of them are going to be re-engaged and those who will be useful will be put to work and no form of nepotism will be allowed, so nobody was sacked,  rather they were relived on their own accord, and over 100 workers will be re-engaged by the new management.”

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    He continued, “I am sure that Delta Line is going to come up well because, with the plans that are on ground, we want the company to run in such a manner that as a government, and as a people, we can be proud of it and we can be sure that that when passengers are in these vehicles they can be rest assured of their safety and security; so, in the next few months, we are going to see brand new Delta Line buses, efficiency and quality of service will be the new order for the company.”

    Okowa who was happy with the progress made with the Delta Line, disclosed, “that Delta Line had over 400 drivers for just 200 vehicles, was totally alarming and it turned out that the functional vehicles were only about 80 and that functionality was failing because most of the vehicles were not doing well, and the remaining were just in mechanics.”

    The governor urged critics of the intention to commercialize Delta Line to get their facts right, stating that the transport company “is a commercial venture and it is supposed to make money for itself and possibly also for the state government through some dividend payment, but, unfortunately over time, government has continued to pour out money into that place, I have witnessed the capitalization of Delta Line three times in the past, and after some time we came back with millions and millions of debt and we could not continue in that manner and we could not allow the mistakes of the past to repeat itself, so, we thought that the best thing was to bring in a private partner who can run the company efficiently because one; is the provision of the services that you expect that company to provide and two; is sustainability of that venture to ensure that it does not go bankrupt.”

    He gave assurance that the interest of Deltans and the state were always uppermost in taking decision by his administration and the people will get good benefits from the partnership between God Is Good Motors and Delta State government.

  • Obiri, Yego in race for Asaba 2018 ticket

    Athletics Kenya is set to host a three-day selection process to pick its representatives to the 21st African Athletics Championship to be staged in Asaba, Delta State.

    Kenya’s javelin star Julius Yego and world 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri are among the elite athletes eyeing a return to the African Athletics Championships having missed out in the 2016 edition in Durban.

    It is understood that only the top two athletes in each discipline will secure automatic tickets to represent Kenya at the Asaba 2018.

    The Championships will run from August 1st to 5th and will feature athletes from every one of Africa’s 54 countries.

    Speaking in Nairobi, Yego said he had gained tremendous ground since returning to action after he battled groin and ankle injuries that saw him lose the world title last year in London.

    “I have returned to action and managed to throw the javelin over 80 meters twice in Ostrava and Finland.

    Now the focus will be to make the Kenya team, compete in one more Diamond League event and head to Nigeria to try and win the Africa title,” he said on Tuesday.

    However, for Obiri, the attraction of competing at the Athletics World Cup in Ostrava, the Czech Republic in September is what motivates her to return to the continental championships. Four years ago, she made the cut, but ultimately failed to win the 1,500m race.

  • Fashola assures on completion of Second Niger Bridge

    Federal Government has put in place workable funding mechanism to ensure completion of the  Second Niger Bridge, the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

    Fashola gave the assurance  on Saturday when he visited the site of the project at Oko near Asaba in Delta.

    Fashola said the modified tax credit policy, the Sukuk Intervention Fund and the Presidential Infrastructural Fund, among others, were aimed at funding infrastructure projects that would make the country globally competitive.

    “By my assessment, the piling work is now about 50 per cent.

    “At the time I resumed work at the ministry, only the bridge was designed and work had stopped, but because of the commitment of the president, work has commenced.

    “For the foreseeable future, I don’t see any reason why work will stop again because funding has been provided,” he said.

    The minister said the contract for the construction of the already designed link roads from Asaba and Onitsha to the Second Niger Bridge would be awarded before the end of the year.

    Fashola said the Federal Government was also undertaking maintenance work at the existing Niger Bridge to ensure that it continued to serve the citizens.

    He said the ministry had received compensation claims in the realm of N3.44 billion to owners of land affected by the second Niger Bridge project.

    “We have paid N1.8 billion. Our strategy is to pay in sections where contractors want to commence work immediately.

    “We have also received additional claim of N1.5 billion. These claims are the impediment to the entire project,” the minister said.

    On the Umunya section of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, Fashola said the contract had been awarded, adding that work would start in earnest.

    Fashola, who later visited Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra, assured that the Federal Government would collaborate with the state government on the inter-change projects by Revenue House, Awka.

    Also speaking, the Federal Controller of Works in Anambra, Mr Innocent Alumonah, explained that the second Niger Bridge was about 1.5 kilometers in length, with two spans of 40 meters each.

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     He said about 180 piles have been driven into the earth out of over 600 piles meant for the foundation of the bridge.

    “The contractor has also put a lot of geo-textiles to the ground and constructed culverts as part of early works for the project which will soon be completed,” Alumunah said.

    In a remark, Gov. Willie Obiano commended Federal Government’s commitment to the Second Niger Bridge and appealed for the refund of N50 billion spent in rehabilitating federal roads in the state.

    Obiano also appealed to the Federal Government on the Nnewi cluster power supply project as well as the proposed Regina Junction project on Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

  • Delta approves sale of residential quarters to workers

    The Delta Government has approved the sale of Junior and Middle Management Staff Quarters, Asaba, to the civil servants currently occupying them owner occupier basis.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, disclosed this in a statement he signed and made available to the newsmen in Asaba on Thursday.

    Ukah said under the new arrangement, occupiers of one-bedroom apartments in the quarters would pay N800, 000 each while those living in two-bedroom apartments would pay N1.6 million each to own them.

    He said that modalities for the payments would be worked out through the Delta Trust Mortgage Bank.

    The commissioner said that approval had been given for the release of funds for the payment of bursaries to students of the state origin in tertiary institutions across the country.

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    Uka who however did not state the amount involved said the fund to be released would be for 2016/2017 Students’ Special Assistance Scheme.

    He also said that government approved the award of contract for the completion of the second phase of the outstanding work at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    The commissioner said the award of the contract was to ensure successful hosting of the African International Athletics Championship in the stadium in August.

    Uka added that the state government approved the transfer of ownership of Ughelli Modern Market built by it to Ughelli North Local Government.

    NAN

  • Delta requires N11.5b to complete projects in Asaba

    Delta State government said yesterday that it would require N11.5 billion to complete three storm water routing projects in Asaba.

    Commissioner for Works Chief James Augoye, who spoke at the 2018 press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information, said the government, in its determination to address flooding in Asaba, engaged experts and undertook a study.

    He said at the end of the study, eight storm water channels were outlined, of which three were strategic in the interim.

    Augoye hoped that perennial flooding would be a thing of the past after completion of the projects.

    ‘‘The first is the continuation and completion of the construction of the 2.44-kilometre length storm water control measures in Direct Labour Road (DLA) /Jesus Saves corridor in Asaba awarded on May 15, 2017 to CCECC at N1.7 billion.

    ‘‘The second is the construction of 4.33-kilometre length storm water discharge channel along Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS)/ Umejei Adudu Way to Amilimocha River, Asaba, awarded to Setraco at N5.2 billion.

    ‘‘The third is the construction of 3.5-kilometres network channels storm water drainage along Amb. Ralph Uweche Way to Anwai River, Asaba, awarded to CCECC on January 25 at N4.6 billon.’’

    The commissioner said the projects were nearing completion, adding that the DLA/Jesus Saves project was 80 per cent completed, while the other two would be completed in 12 months.

    He said on completion, flooding from the DLA, Jesus Saves, DBS Road, Maryam Babangida Way, Okpanam Road and other adjoining streets would be solved.

    Augoye, however, said his ministry was facing challenges; funding, difficult terrains and unpredictable weather conditions.

  • Delta chief judge advocates reform of EFCC

    The Delta State Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro has advocated for an independent department within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that will prosecute suspects following conclusion of investigations.

    Justice Umukoro made the call in Asaba-the Delta State Capital when the anti-graft agency, Benin Zone paid him a courtesy call.

    Umukoro described corruption as a cancer which has infected the socio-economic and political fabric of the Nigerian society.

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    He said one of the ways to tame the “monster” is to tailor the operations of the EFCC towards the prosecutorial architecture of England Police and adopted  by the State’s Ministry of Justice where the police  arrest , investigate  and handover to the Crown Prosecution Service for prosecution.

    He said this procedure will reduce the human element vulnerable to corruption, bias and power abuse.

    Justice Umukoro decried media trial of suspects where the EFCC uploads whole proof of evidence unto the social media, thereby jeopardizing unbiased assessment of facts and figures.

    He said no matter the damaging evidence has been uploaded and tested before a court that it becomes evidence.

    Head Operations, EFCC Benin Zone, Mailafa Yakubu said the agency was in Asaba to appreciate the judiciary in the fight against corruption by speedily disposing of cases brought before it.