The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Asaba

  • Infrastructure upgrade at Asaba Airport

    Infrastructure upgrade at Asaba Airport

    the Delta State Government has commenced a massive reconstruction of the Asaba International Airport, in a move to restore the glory of the aviation facility and to address the concerns raised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which led to an embarrassing downgrade of the airport earlier in the year.

    Recall that the NCAA, on April 27, downgraded the Asaba International Airport over issues ranging from inadequate training of technical staff, lack of perimeter fencing, flooding and uneven surface of the runway and other technical issues.

    By that directive, only Dash 8 – Q 400 planes or their equivalent will continue to operate through the airport until the issues raised are resolved while all Boeing 737s and jets of similar category are barred.

    To underscore government’s commitment towards addressing the airport’s infrastructural deficits, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had, within a week of assuming office, held a meeting with ULO Consultants Limited – the contractor handling the construction of the airport project and the fruits of that meeting are evident – all the contractors are back on site toiling to meet agreed timelines.

    Governor Okowa had, on September 11, this year sought and received approval from the state’s legislature for a loan of N5.021 billion for the reconstruction of the airport.

    Specifically, the state legislature approved the request for guaranty of a loan facility to be availed ULO Consultants Limited in respect of the accelerated rehabilitation of the Asaba Airport.

    Hitherto, the airport could only be accessed from the North-Eastern direction because a 23 meter high hill blocked access to the runway of airplanes from the South-west direction.

    The hill has been reduced with a gentle 2.5 meters gradient sloping to the runway. With the leveling of the hill, the signal posts at the Southwestern end of the runway is now visible -a situation that was patently in breach of international standards.

    The airport has two signal beacons at both ends of the runway standing approximately at 2.4 kilometers apart from the terminal building. Another grey area is the absence of a perimeter fence around the airport. But the problem is being addressed, with work having reached advanced stage.

    Project Manager, Ali Bou Ghawi who spoke with Niger Delta Report revealed that over 40 per cent of the work has been done, noting that work will further intensify with cessation of the rains.

    His words: “We have completed the major work of surveying and pegging the entire area. Clearing of the entire forest surrounding the airport has reached advanced stage. What is left is for the real fencing work to begin and with the lull in the wet season, we will start soon.”

    Ghawi noted that his company was adding a new nine-centimeter layer of asphalt which was being laid on the tarmac to reinforce the existing runway.  Also, work on another control tower to complement the operational efficiency of the existing one has reached advanced stage.

    The engineer said the tower, which has already reached the second floor, would complement the existing Control Tower in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard.

    Beside the airport control tower, international airports are required to have a second tower for the purpose of monitoring local weather as well controlling incoming flights and departures.

    Moreover, the lighting of the airport has been restructured in such a manner that the entire lighting system will be embedded into the four-kilometer runway and taxi-way. The entire perimeter fence is being lighted as well.

    A source who spoke on condition of anonymity assured that “the downgrade in status of Asaba Airport has not, in any way, affected the operation of scheduled commercial flights in and out of the airport”, saying Arik Air, Aero Contractors and Overland Air which operate scheduled flights, have continued to provide seamless services to passengers.

    His words: “We hereby assure the public that the Delta State Government is committed to ensuring the upgrade of the facilities as directed by the NCAA promptly and the status of Asaba Airport will soon be restored to accommodate bigger jets such as the Boeing 737.”

  • Robbers attack The Nation man in Asaba

    Robbers yesterday stormed the home of Mr. Okungbowa Aiwerie, The Nation Correspondent in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    They stole musical equipment, a laptop, jewellery and cash.

    The incident, which occurred at 2.30am, was the third on the journalist.

    Okungbowa said the robbers scaled the fence into his compound.

    The reporter said he heard a loud bang on his door as the hoodlums forced their way into his rented apartment.

    He said: “At 2.30am, I heard a loud noise. Before I could wake up, I was accosted by the gunmen. My wife, two sons, my son’s friend and my daughter were asked to face down. I was beaten up with the butt of their guns and asked to bring out the money in my possession. I quickly complied.

    “They ransacked the house, taking any valuable, including my wife’s jewellery, money, laptop and musical sets. The operation lasted about an hour.”

    Okungbowa said he refused to report the matter to the police because nothing came out of a previous attack on him on December 30, last year, despite lodging complaints with the police.

    The journalist said he was most pained by the loss of his laptop because it was the “only work tool I relied on for sending my reports.”

  • Photo: Flooded street in Asaba

    Photo: Flooded street in Asaba

  • Asaba: How to stay safe on a night out

    Asaba: How to stay safe on a night out

    At a first glance, Asaba, the Delta State capital, seems as quiet as any civil service town.

    However, while its scenic features cannot compete with the hedonistic proclivities of its closest neighbor – the oil-rich Warri, it recompenses with a vivacious social life that couriers the epicurean passions of the average local.

    As expected, there is an abundance of local entertainment hubs in the city and nightlife offers fascinating experiences, as a wide assortment of nightclubs, lounges and out-door drinking pubs are scattered around the city’s landscape.

    While you’ve got your high heels or wallet on and are ready to explore its nightlife, irrespective of what your game plan is, the end goal should always be to make it back in one piece!

    With this in mind, Jovago.com, Africa’s No. 1 online hotel booking service has 5 tips on how to stay safe on a night out in Asaba.

    Have a Plan and a contingency plan.

    Drawing up a plan can be tedious, but it your best bet. Ensure you know your exact destination, and if possible, tell others too.

    Figure out the best time to hit the road, make arrangements with a registered taxi for your trip and don’t forget to take and dial the taxi drivers number to ensure it is working.

    Eat before you go out to reduce the effects of alcohol. You also need to give yourself a curfew and stick to it. Again, have a contingency plan as with all things in life, not everything always goes according to plan. The contingency plan will come in handy in case something happens to our phone or keys; you get separated from our friends; or have a little too much to drink.

    Carry only the essentials

    It’s a night out, not a vacation as such you may not need a full-makeup kit or extra clothes.

    Carry only vital items: your phone (key), ID, keys, cash and maybe flats if you are wearing heels. You can fit these basics in small clutch purse.

    A general rule is to have enough to cover a round trip cab ride and a few drinks. Also, be sure to have some pocket change on hand for tipping. If you are carrying only a wallet, ensure it does not look bulky and do not flash it about as that will attract unhealthy attention. If you have allergies, you can also pack a few allergy pills or an inhaler in case you are asthmatic.

    Communicate

    Make sure your mobile is charged and has enough air time. Also, ensure you have an emergency contact number that you can reach and keep the contact updated on your whereabouts, especially if it is your first time in the city.

    Write the person’s number on a card and slip into your wallet or purse. If you belong to a social media group, ensure you keep tabs on each other at all times, if you must leave the group, let them know where you are going, who you are going with and possibly how long you will be gone.

    If you are staying in a hotel, inform the staff at the lobby of your whereabouts and what time you are to be expected back, that way if you are late, they can call to check up on you.

    Look Confident and be vigilant

    Always look confident and sharp. Perpetrators are less likely to swindle a person who appears self-assured and aware of their surroundings. Also keep a close eye on the activities of those around you.

    Never leave your drink unattended. Holding onto it all time is the best way to make sure nothing extra is put into it. Also, keep your thumb over your bottleneck between sips and if the drink tastes or smells odd do not taste it again.

    Do not accept drinks from strangers and keep your possessions (mobiles/cameras) hidden in a secure bag or zipped pockets. And on your way home, when you get out of the taxi, check the seat in case you dropped something before stepping out of the car.

    Know your limits

    No matter how excited you are or how much you want to impress the people around you, do not do anything you are not comfortable with or spend much more than you planned to.

    Watch your alcohol intake as this has a way of dulling your instincts, making you much more vulnerable to danger. If you are drinking in rounds, or expected to take a large number of shots as part of a ‘dare’ game, skip some rounds or have  water instead. Don’t mix your drinks with drugs. Pace yourself! If you are feeling too pressured, remember that you have nothing to prove to anyone and just go home!

  • Creative workshop for Asaba

    Creative workshop for Asaba

    A six-day hands-on creative art workshop on turning waste to wealth will open on Thursday, July 23 till 28 at The Marble Hill School, Asaba the Delta State capital.

    It is opened to primary and secondary school pupils in Asaba.The aim of the facilitators is to champion the promotion of the arts at the grass-roots and basic levels of education, bolstering the arts across the grade school curriculum.

    The workshop will be led by the convener Philips Nzekwe an Asaba-based sculptor and arts teacher at the yearlyAgbara Ottor Harmattan Workshop with fellow artist and painter Juliet Ezenwa Maja-Pearce and supported by other artists and teachers. Maja-Pearce is a veteran workshop facilitator on converting waste to wealth and recycling of disposable materials. The workshop will cater for no fewer than 50 pupils for the four days.

    According to Nzekwe a lot has gone wrong with urbanisation without consideration for preservation due to lack of visual literacy. He said promoting healthy living and going–green is the primary aim of this workshop. “Psychological effects of living-green together with creative engagements we hope will result in youth restiveness and peaceful coexistence,” he noted.

    The participants will acquire skills which will enable them become self-employed individuals and entrepreneurs. The workshop activities are designed to engage the community through close interactive participation of parents, children, community leaders and youths.

    According to Nzekwe the recycle themes will focus on using easily found materials to create objects of beauty. “We are careful to align our activities with the present school curriculum so that it is easy for the participants to relate art to other areas of human endeavours. Therefore we are using art as a tool for socio- development,” he added.

    The sole sponsor of the programme Mrs H.I. Odume, a former director of education in Delta State and an art enthusiast said: “effective learning can only occur if all domains of human knowledge which include the cognitive, affective and the psycho-moto are fully harnessed. The objective of this workshop is in line with the vision of the Marble Hill School, Asaba.”

    The venue for the workshop was made available by Mrs Odume because she believes that students should be thoroughly furnished and equipped for nation building. “The main challenge faced by this project is lack of government support…This programme will probably fair better if we get support or collaboration from the state government,” she said, noting that the absence of an art gallery in Asaba has impeded the aesthetic development of the students in the vicinity.

     

  • Two nights in Asaba as Omu Ahaba goes home

    o the pleasantly provincial state capital of Asaba and its lush and leafy suburbia for the final burial rites of its late illustrious Queen Bee, Obi Maria Ejima Obielua-Chizea, Omu Ahaba, beloved mother of our friend and NYSC Third Corps buddy, Claire Afulenu and also of Dora Obiajulu Chizea MD (enyi Nnejika), Dr Ezenwa Chizea, the old Loyolan, and of course Isioma, beloved wife of our late kinsman, Niyi Ige, a nobleman of Edun Abon. The life of this extraordinary woman who was granted a miraculous reprieve from certain death after being thrown into the bush as a female twin is the stuff of magical fiction and is better told by her own son.

    And so for two whole days a fortnight ago, the entire town stood still to bid its late Queen mother a befitting farewell. All markets were closed in honour of the great woman. For the impatiently industrious Igbo people, this was quite a great sacrifice. It was a colourful carnival and a moveable feast of cultural display as fearsome Egwugwus jostled with fierce warlike dancers. It was as if one was transported back to Things Fall Apart.  Nestling on the western bank of the famous River Niger, Asaba combines old rustic charms with accelerating modernity which can be pleasantly unnerving. The new airport was a clever, entrepreneurial coup.

    You knew you were in for some great adventure as the Arik plane came to land, banking steeply as the chaotic towers of Onitsha came into view in all their anarchic tribute to mercantilist dynamism gone haywire. The muddy and murky waters of the Niger churn its way towards the Delta with the languid grace of an old mermaid. In between the culinary extravaganza, Snooper slipped across the bridge and into Onitsha.

    The last time one was here, the whole place reminded one of the feral zoo of downtown Kinshasa as men with formidable biceps wrestled with rickety contraptions, tempers flaring and furious fists flying in all directions. It was an anarchic bedlam; a tribute to misbegotten enterprise. This time around, the chaos had miraculously disappeared. It has taken the atypical calm and moderating mellowness of Peter Obi to achieve this. The masquerade without a mask is the master of all masquerades. It has been very pleasant in Asaba and Snooper will be back. May the Omu Ahaba rest in peace.

  • Before garbage takes over Asaba

    A shadowy figure burdened with a sack darts across the dimly lit street stopping momentarily on the median along Ibusa road, to deposit a sack full of garbage.

    As far as the eye can see, neatly stacked plastic bags line the median on the two major roads in Asaba –namely Ibusa and Nnebisi, vitiating efforts of the government to improve sanitary conditions.

    Illegal dumping of refuse has become predominant practice with illegal dumpsite adorning major streets and intersections in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    With the failure of the Delta State Waste Management Board to develop an effective waste evacuation plan, residents have taken laws into their own hands by dumping their waste indiscriminately.

    A desperate bid to curb the menace of filth saw Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan constituting a 25-man special sanitation team chaired by Deputy Governor Prof Amos  Utuama but these efforts appears to have come to nought.

    The Chairman, Delta State Waste Management Board (DSWMB), Olori Magege, in an interview over a month ago assured that with the plans being put in place by the Uduaghn administration, waste management would improve.

    According to Magege the private waste collectors had not done a good job in waste evacuation, but blamed residents for defaulting in their monthly payments to the waste collectors.

    Magege said with the World Bank’s entry into waste disposal in the State, Deltans would see an improved waste collection system.

    He said SEEFOR, a World Bank-assisted programme was designed to empower youths using the platforms of waste management and road maintenance.

    He said the programme had the capacity to employ a large number of youths, adding that the pilot scheme would start in Warri, Ughelli, Sapele and Asaba.

    According to him with the SEEFOR project many idle Deltans would be gainfully employed, adding that the state had been zoned into 130 zones with a PSP assigned to each zone.

    With the new waste management policy in the State, Magege said monitoring and enforcement would be reinforced.

    But over a month since SEEFOR took off, the sanitary conditions have not improved; illegal dumpsite have continued to thrive and the Asaba metropolis is at the verge of being swamped by garbage.

    Although, some old rickety trucks ply the streets of Asaba , but this has not translated to effective evacuation of filth in the community.

    A resident, Mrs Felicia Abuah, said the dumping of filth on the median of major roads would continue due to the inefficiency of the agency saddled with the responsibility of waste evacuation.

    A retired school headmaster, Mr Vincent Okafor, also blamed the DSWMB for failing in its responsibility to address the issue of effective registration of resident and its inability to enforce its laws.

    His words: “The failure to register everybody as directed by the law and the inability to enforce or compel defaulters to register and to sanction them by the DSWMB gave birth to the present irresponsible attitude displayed on our environment.”

    He expressed sadness at what he called ‘lack of moral, conscience and culture of decency’ in the society, and urged DSWMB to address the situation squarely.

    Another resident, Mrs Mary Ijeoma, said the dumping of waste on street median ‘is a real trial of the efficiency of the DSWMB. If the management of the board excelled in its performance the refuse will not be staring at us on the roads now’.

    But it remains to be seen whether the DSWMB will rise up to the challenge of effective waste disposal and save Asaba residents from a possible outbreak of disease.

     

  • Robbers get 56 years for car theft in Asaba

    •Court remands man in prison for impersonation

    A High Court in Asaba, Delta State, has sentenced a carpenter, James Emmanuel, and a bus driver, Isioma Egwu, to  56 years in jail for robbing a female civil servant of her Honda Accord.

    Justice Cletus Emifoniye found the two accused guilty on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and offence of robbery, punishable under Sections 516 and 402 of the Criminal Code Laws Cap C21, Volume I Laws of Delta State, 2006.

    They were sentenced to seven years each on count one and 21 years each on count two.

    The court, however, held that the sentences are to run concurrently.

    A prosecutor from the Ministry of Justice, Champion Umukoro, an assistant chief counsel, told the court that Emmanuel (30) and Egwu (27) on or about September 26, 2012, at Asaba  robbed one Mrs. Obi Sally of her car.

    The victim had gone to drop her friend on Anwai Road when the incident happened.

    A three-man gang accosted her while reversing her car after dropping off her friend, forcefully opened the car door and pushed her out before driving off.

    After two days, the car was recovered from where it was parked in Lagos by the police.

    The two accused persons, in their confessional statements to the police, admitted to have committed the offence, but denied same during trial.

    Also, a Magistrate’s Court in Warri has ordered that Prince Toritseju, a 42-year-old man, be remanded in prisons custody for alleged impersonation and swindling.

    The suspect allegedly claimed that he was a member of the Ugborodo Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Interface Committee, under which guise he had duped several persons of thousands of naira, promising to secure employment for them.

    Chief Magistrate (Grade 1) Mrs. T. R Ewerido, while giving the order in the case filed by the Commissioner of Police, said the accused person would have to be remanded in prisons’ custody while the court sought legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the competence of the court to entertain the matter.

    Counsel to the accused S.J. Aremu argued that the magistrate’s court lacked jurisdiction to entertain cases of offence connected to Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act Cap A6 Law of the Federation 2006.

    He demanded that the nature of the offence brought against his client be re-presented by the police based on state laws to enable the court adjudicate on the matter.

  • Asaba’s night of music, fun and girls

    Asaba’s night of music, fun and girls

    For many in most cities, nightlife provides opportunities to unwind after the day’s work, especially as the average Nigerian can ill afford the yearly luxury of vacations. OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE captures the essence of nightlife in Asaba, the Delta State capital and the residents’ insatiable appetite for fun

    Asaba, the Delta State capital, is a picturesque city overlooking the River Niger.

    Though it bears the appellation of a civil service town, there is more to the modest city than meets the eye.

    True, it lacks the mercantile verve of its more illustrious eastern neighbor, Onitsha or the ostentation of faraway oil-rich Warri, Asaba compensates with a vibrant social life that expresses the hedonistic credentials of the average local.

    For the first timer, nightlife is an enthralling kaleidoscope of experience, as fun spots abound ranging from an assortment of simple out-door drinking pubs and eateries to the exclusive and prestigious highbrow hotels that dot its landscape.

    Green House, located on the popular Nnebisi Road, is typical of such out-door entertainment spots. It is a cramped, haphazardly constructed corrugated zinc and wooden affair, built to serve a utilitarian purpose than any ambitious aestheticism.

    Littering the available space are plastic chairs and tables adorned with a variety of alcoholic beverages. Fun seekers sit in groups of varying sizes enjoying themselves.

    Perched on huge wooden supports, two giant loudspeakers blare music at elevated decibels to the delight of revelers.

    To the right, half a dozen habitués sway rhythmically to raunchy music, egged on by a bare-chested disc jockey. The attention of other guests is riveted on a huge screen showing English premiers-ship soccer. Yet others sit in darkened corners in compromising positions or simply watch the unfolding spectacle before them.

    Outdoor entertainment in the city, especially bars on Nnebisi Road has been boosted with the recently installed neon street lighting, thus creating a carnival atmosphere of some sort at nights.

    In the vicinity of Green House, as well as at other locations, outdoor bars have mushroomed with the resultant attraction to these spots of commercial sex workers from far and near.

    Determined to outdo each other, the biggest names in the brewing industry have cashed in on the thriving nightlife with promotional offerings that encourages drinking sprees amongst revelers.

    Linda Ekwy, a dazzling buxomly beauty, is the brain behind this pub. She explains that the idea of the pub was originally her mothers`. According to her; Green House started over two decades ago with only two plastic tables and eight chairs.

    Linda maintains that the biggest selling point of her business is the home-made fish and dried bush meat pepper-soup recipe on offer, adding that customers visits from far off Lagos and neighboring states to savor this delicacy.

    Pressed to reveal the recipe, she promptly reels out a list of items, but cautions that success depends on the technical expertise of the cook.

    She added that beyond the delicacies on offer, an unbroken bond of interpersonal relations with customers, such as a genuine interest in the welfare of customers has ensured a steady stream of clients to Green House.

    Asked to comment on the activities of commercial sex workers in the neighborhood, she notes that since her clientele includes responsible folks out for a night outing, prostitutes are denied admittance except accompanied by a male guest.

    “Call girls are not allowed in here, except they come here with a man. We do not allow then to sit here because they are usually the cause of fights,” she submits.

    Notwithstanding the spate of robbery incidents in the metropolis lately, business has not been negatively impacted.

    According to Linda, “we share a common fence with the “A” divisional police station. Asaba, so as long as you are at Green House security is not a problem”.

    Further down Nnebisi road and directly opposite the prestigious Grand Hotel is a cluster of outdoor joints. Although not so well organised, it still commands a hefty crowd due to its lenient rules on commercial sex workers.

    Emeka`s place, the most visible amongst the quartet of bars replicates the self-same services provided at Green House.

    It goes a notch further by engaging the services of a two-man dance act that could pass as contortionists due to their uncanny ability to twist their bodies into strange and unnatural positions.

    This duo, known as “two-star show”, though an aside, keeps the audience spellbound with their sheer energy and intricate dance routines.

    Because Emeka`s Place admits all-comers, it has the dubious image of the red light district on Nnebisi Road. Real business for commercial sex workers commences as form 8.00pm till the wee hours.

    Emeka, an affable chap, is proprietor of the bar. He confesses that his business has experienced a boom these past few years, due mainly to patronage from the ladies of easy virtue that throng his bar.

    He admits to have abandoned his cloth retailing business in Lagos many years back to stake a claim in the more lucrative entertainment business in Asaba, a decision he claims he does not regret.

    Ameachi, 28 years, is an artisan in aluminum roofing business, and claims to be a regular visitor to the bar. For him, he swears his interest is confined solely to booze and not in the unholy pastime of soliciting sex. But as if to give lie to his duplicitous comment, a coquettish cheeky tug by a young lady promptly sends him chasing after her, leaving this reporter nonplussed.

    In stark contrast to the boisterous and rowdy sessions at Green House and Emeka`s place is “De Grill,” “De Grill” is owned by Ann Okafor, an Anglo- Nigeria lady.

    The main attraction of the joint is its grilled fish menu. Guests are allowed to choose live fish from a pond within its premises and then grilled by a chef. “De Grill” comes across as an elitist joint with cool background music serenading guests in a relaxed atmosphere.

    Mr. Mike Nwabuzor, a regular visitor to the joint, surmises that a combination of healthy fishmeal coupled with soft music has therapeutic value.

    A further attraction to guests who visit “De Grill” must be its zero tolerance for commercial sex workers and the very young but often obstreperous customers.

    As a matter of deliberate policy, prices of alcoholic beverages are a bit steep and television is not allowed at “De Grill”, thus discouraging patronage from unwanted guests.

    Uptown, a group of outdoor bars have sprung up. These new bars are classier and purpose built with every bit of comfort for revelers.

    Since these upscale bars offer competitive pricing in alcoholic beverages and food, many low income earners throng them.

    Amongst these group includes Tunja Bar, Opera Lounge, Westpoint, Sun city,One Side, Y2K  and a host of others.

  • Asaba residents pay N10 to read newspapers

    Newspaper vendors in Asaba, the Delta State capital, now collect N10 from readers who prefer to read papers at the newsstands.

    Mr. Azuibuike Emmanuel, who sells newspapers at the Ibusa junction, said most readers preferred paying N10 and reading the newspapers to buying them.

    He said he introduced the levy since the readers, most of who were unemployed, wanted information but could not buy newspapers.

    Azubuike said he could no longer tolerate their reading the papers free because he was no longer making huge sales.

    Another vendor, Miss Abigail Onwuzulike, said she also charged each reader N10 to read the headlines, since they did not want to buy.

    Miss Onwuzulike said some of them even preferred pairing with others to pay the amount.

    She added that she realised money from the levy to augment her income.