The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa State

  • Ijaw youths, rector seek road to Bayelsa Fed Poly

    Ijaw youths are worried about lack of access to the only Federal Polytechnic in Bayelsa State located at Ekowe, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. Since its establishment, the institution has continued to experience lull in academic activities.

    It was once enmeshed in a prolonged crisis between the employees and the management. But since the appointment of Dr. Seighabo Enitimi, as the new Rector of the institution, peace and stability returned to the campus.

    The rector has made significant progress to restore confidence in admission seekers. But the polytechnic has continued to lag behind because of lack of accessibility. Water remains the only means of transportation to the polytechnic.

    With the upsurge in piracy, militancy, incidences of boat accidents and other criminal activities along the waterways, admission seekers avoid the polytechnic like a plague.

    In fact, Ijaw youths are not happy that road has not got to the institution. Recently, the newly elected Central Zone leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, visited the school.

    The Chairman of the Zonal IYC, Mr. Tare Porri, after touring the facilities said the institution was the best polytechnic in the country. He commended the vision and mission of the new rector. But he said the institution was underperforming because there was no road to the area.

    Addressing the rector, Porri said: “We decided to pay you this visit to see how we can partner in areas you are lacking. We have seen all the Federal polytechnic across the country and I am bold to say this polytechnic is the best in terms of infrastructure.

    “So we felt the need for the IYC under our leadership to partner with the management of the institute to compel the Federal government to complete the road linking the institution to other parts of the world.

    “We are aware that the student enrollment of the institution is low and has continued to drop because of the fear of militancy, sea piracy and boat mishap, so we think, if the road from Yenagoa to Oporoma is completed, this institution would be one of the best in the country.

    “We are hereby using this opportunity to call on all our lawmakers in the National Assembly to ensure that this road gets into the budget if the federal government and we as IYC would follow it up until it is completed”.

    In his response, the rector enumerated the challenges he met on ground when he took over the leadership of the school. He said top on the issues was the conflict between the management and the workers.

    “However, we came with a vision and the vision is to ensure that we increase our students enrollment and I also made it clear that the attitude of staff of the institution must change.

    “In spite of all these, we also know that our location is a major problem because we are not linked to other parts of the world by road.

    “If the central senatorial road is completed, this polytechnic would be the most talked about in this country because it is the first oil and gas institution in Africa.

    “However, before we came on board, this institution was blacklisted by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for five year because of poor management of funds.

    “And when we came on board, we have been able to remove the institution from the black book and very soon we would start to receive backlog of our benefits from TETFUND. What this means is that from September this year, we would be able to commence our HND programme”.

  • Igbo leadership seeks reconciliation in Bayelsa

    The newly-elected executive council of the Ohaneze Ndiigbo, Bayelsa State chapter, has vowed to ensure peace and unity in the Igbo socio-cultural group. It promised to put the crisis rocking the association behind by bringing dissenting voices onboard.

    In fact, for about eight months after its election, the executive murdered sleep. A faction mounted opposition against it saying the election that brought the leadership was illegal and invalid. But the new Chairman, Chief Amaku Maurice, carried on and continued to discharge his responsibilities as the chairman.

    Calmness, however, returned to the crisis-ridden association following the intervention of security commanders in the state. At the vanguard of the peace meetings was the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Desmond Agu. Worried by the turbulence in the Igbo community, Agu, who hails from Imo State, took it upon himself to mediate in the crisis.

    The last meeting had all the security commanders in attendance. Though some persons opposed the resolution from the meeting, the parley has returned fragile peace to the association.

    Therefore, following the outcome of the meeting, Amaku led his executive committee and other stakeholders, about 20-man delegation, for thank-you tours. He visited Agu in his command. He thanked the commandant for his efforts in restoring peace in the union and introduced members of the executive committee to him.

    Describing Agu as a true father, the chairman promised to ensure the implementation of the five-point resolution reached at the last meeting. “We are committed to peace and we will ensure that all the resolutions at the last meeting are implemented”, he said.

    In his response, Agu said being an Igbo man, he was worried about the crisis and did everything within his power to restore the peace. He reminded them that as non-indigenes, that came to seek their means of livelihood in the state, they should not be seen as causing crisis in Bayelsa.

    The commandant, however, warned that anyone bent in causing crisis in the state under the guise of Ohaneze Ndigbo, would be dealt with.

    “Life is not all about fighting because, you never know who you will meet tomorrow. People should be mindful that no election is totally perfect. After an election, people bury their hatchet and move on,” he said.

    Amaku later led his team to the office of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Amba Asuquo. He told Asuquo of his commitment to genuine reconciliation.

    Addressing the commissioner, he said: “We came to thank you for the roles you played in resolving the crisis in our association. I am going to ensure that I carry everybody along. I promise not to disappoint you and the Igwe-in-council. Already, most of the people, who disagreed with us have returned to our fold.”

    But Asuquo, expressed delight over the visit, asked the Igbo in the state to always live in peace. He insisted that Amaku must ensure genuine reconciliation to bring all the Agrieved persons back to the union.

    “Until you are able to bring everyone back to join that little space, to me you have not totally been at peace. Speed up and complete the healing and reconciliation with all the aggrieved members.

    “Always listen to your elders. You also have to ensure that you do not harbour criminals in your fold. If you know any suspect, don’t hide the person, turn him in.”

  • Subscribers protest against DSTV, GOTV services in Bayelsa

    Subscribers protest against DSTV, GOTV services in Bayelsa

    Subscribers of DSTV and GOTV services owned by Multichoice Nigeria Limited, Wednesday, besieged the firm’s outlets in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, complaining of poor services.

    The aggrieved pay TV users lamented that they had been denied access to their preferred channels days after renewing their subscriptions.

    They further decried poor reception signals and lack of compensation despite inconveniences and loss of viewing hours caused technical hitches from the company.

    Subscribers now pay N14,700 for DSTV Premium bouquet, Compact Plus N9,900, Compact N6,300 and Family N3,800.

    It was learnt that the angry customers who stormed the DSTV offices in Kpansia, Opolo and Okutukutu areas of the state capital, demanded refund of their monies.

    One of them, Betty Sotonye said: “I came here (Kpansia office) to renew subscription on Saturday but until Wednesday, I and my family cannot watch DSTV. What kind of nonsense is this?”.

    She insisted she could no longer bear the company’s poor services and asked the customer care officer to refund her money.

    Also, Thompson Efe, who said he paid on Monday noted that “enough is enough of this so-called DSTV people”, adding that he would retrieve his money.

    But, one of the customer care officers who gave his name simply as Mr. Essien, said that the platform used by the outlet de-activated on Saturday and made it difficult to log in renewed subscriptions.

    Essien said they were now “using other means to subscribe customers” in order to restore services and satisfy DSTV and GOTV subscribers in the state.

     

  • Students lock down Bayelsa varsity over fees’ hike

    Students lock down Bayelsa varsity over fees’ hike

    The Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, was, Monday, shut down by students following what they described as outrageous increase in all categories of fees in the school.

    The aggrieved students were said to have shut the gate to the main entrance of the school in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw, stopping vehicular movement into the campus.

    The protest, which coincided with an indefinite strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reportedly, crippled academic and social activities on campus.

    The students were said to be angry over hike in school fees, electronic course registrations and non-inclusion of students’ representation in decision-making.

    The demonstration, which was led by the President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Mr. Kemes Mitin, was said to be peaceful without skirmishes.

    The students lamented that the school authority was gradually turning the state university into a private institution in its quest to raise revenue.

    For instance, they cried out that the electronic registration per course which was hitherto N1000 had been increased to N4200.

    The demonstrators carried placards with messages such as, “NDU is not a private institution”, “we say no to increment of course registration” and “return e-pin for course registration to N1000”.

    Confirming the demonstration, Mitin said the action was to peacefully tell the school management to halt the increase because the students could not afford them.

    On the strike declared by ASUU, the Port-Harcourt Zonal Chairman of the union, Prof. Beke Sese, confirmed that the zone including NDU fully complied with the nationwide action.

    Sese said: “My immediate job is make sure that all chapters join in the strike action.

    We in the Port-Harcourt zone have intermittently warned government in the past of some gross inadequacies in remunerations and infrastructural development of the universities, including non-payment of salaries.

    “Just like the national body said, there shall be no teaching, no examination and no attendance of statutory meetings of any kind in any of our branches till government meets the union’s demands.”

     

  • Police arrest 31 kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    Police arrest 31 kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    …Recover, arms, stolen valuables

     

    No fewer than 31 suspected kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers have been arrested by the police in Bayelsa State following raids of criminal hideouts and creeks in the state.

    Arms, ammunition and stolen items including nine locally-made pistols were recovered from the hoodlums after three-week operation.

    Among the suspects was a 26-year-old Temikiri Moni held for the abduction of an accountant’s wife, Joy Epidi, on July 24 along Imiringi Road, Yenagoa.

    Parading the suspects in Yenagoa, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amba Asuquo, said the gang that abducted Joy called her husband and demanded ransom.

    “Consequently, police operatives swung into action and arrested one Temikri Moni, 26, at about 22:45hrs at his residence in Jimro Street, Biogbolo, Yenagoa

    “The suspect had earlier called one Bogbara Komoko,  a businessman, threatening him to part with his N5million or his family members will be kidnapped. The victim has been released unconditionally and the suspect confessed to making such calls and demands. Efforts are on to arrest his cohorts”, he said.

    Amba said the remans of one Luke Inedite, 30, who was declared missing at Agura community was recovered by the police in a pond at the area.

    He said though investigations into the circumstances that led to the killing of Luke were ongoing, a gang of cultists arrested by the police confessed to the murder.

    He said members of the gang were among the cultists terrorising a community secondary school in Azikoro division of the police.

    Amba said in an undercover operation conducted by plain clothe policemen, one James Loveday, an undergraduate of the Federal University, Otuoke and leader of the gang, was arrested with locally-made revolver rifle.

    He said: “The interesting thing about this arrest was that on interrogation, the suspect led to the arrest of his gang members one Suoyo Francis, male 20yrs, a member of Greenland cult group and  one Bimobere Francis, aka Big Smoke, 21”.

    He named others as Sunday Robinson,18; Emmanuel, 20, and Imimotimi Wilcot, 27; Gift Koma, 23, and Endurance Paul, said to be the supplier of hard drugs such as indian hemp and other illicit substances to the gang.

    Amba said a Nissan Coaster bus, stolen by criminals, with registration number A 06-05BY belonging to the Ministry of Education was recovered by the police

    He said the bus was snatched at gunpoint with a wooden gun by one Ebi- Boy Eperi in Yenagoa.

    He said the feat was made possible through the 45 vehicles recently acquired by Governor Seriake Dickson for the state’s security outfit, Operation Doo-Akpo; cooperation by members of the public and activities of vigilante groups.

  • Pipeline fire: Bayelsa community threatens to shut down Agip’s operations 

    Pipeline fire: Bayelsa community threatens to shut down Agip’s operations 

    The Ayamasa community in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, are threatening to shut down operations of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) following an explosion of a pipeline belonging to the company in the area.

    It was gathered that the Ayamasa-Tuomo trunkline owned by Agip burst into flames spilling unquantifiable amount of oil into the environment.

    Community stakeholders were said to have believed that the incident was caused by equipment failure.

    It was learnt that the bubbling fire lasted for about three days, spreading to vegetation and destroying aquatic lives, before it was put out by the company.

    Hundreds of women, youths and people of the community issued an ultimatum to the management of Agip following protest over the firm’s handling of the situation.

    They accused the company of failing to comply with due process saying the firm’s contractors came to clamp the ruptured section of the pipeline without consulting other stakeholders.

    The Central Zone’s leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide confirmed the incident in Yenagoa and said the community youths were planning to disrupt the company’s operations in the area.

    He said: “Ayamasa end of the Trunkline got exploded and the fire was on for two days before this terrible pipelines contractors put it off and left the community without a word.

    “Up untill now the community has not heard from them and the community boys are now about to shut down the operations of that platform as I am speaking with you now”.

    Porri said the community was angry that Agip and government agencies failed to visit the site to assess the damage done by the incident.

    He insisted that obsolete equipment especially expired pipelines was the reason for facility failures and explosions in the Niger Delta region.

    The chairman said the youths were worried about the age of oil pipelines criss-crossing the state adding that such equipment required immediate replacement.

    According to him since the pipes were buried after the discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Oloibiri area of the state, they had not been changed.

    He insisted that expiration was the cause of most of the pipeline explosions and equipment failures causing oil spills in the environment.

    He said: “We have been appealing to oil companies to immediately begin the process of replacing pipelines buried in the region for many decades.

    “Since oil was first discovered in Bayelsa, in Oloibiri, the pipelines that are criss crossing  the entire central zone which they used in taking first oil from our environment have all expired. Even human life has an expiring date much less equipment made by humans.

    “Most of the explosion, most of the things that happen in the environment are not caused by Ijaw youths. Ijaw youths are law-abiding, Ijaw youths are not fighters and we are hardworking.

    “I want to make bold to say that all the multinational oil companies that are again operating in our zone should as a matter of urgency commence the process of replacing all the expired pipelines across the central zone because we will no longer tolerate corrosion and equipment failure”.

    The IYC boss appealed to Agip to immediately move to the site, access the damage done by the incident to begin the process of remediation and compensation.

     

  • Breaking: Explosion as security agencies abort jailbreak in Bayelsa

    Breaking: Explosion as security agencies abort jailbreak in Bayelsa

    Explosion on Sunday night rocked a section of the Okaka Prison in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, following failed attempts by six inmates to escape from the facility.

    The inmates led by one Victor Tekekuma, who is awaiting trial for murder and kidnapping, deployed an explosive in a failed bid to escape from the prison.

    Victor and five others blasted a toilet wall in the prison at 9.02 p.m. and crawled out through the improvised hole into the prison yard.

    However, the blast drawn the attention of prison officials and other security operatives on duty to the scene of the explosion and they responded swiftly to the situation.

    The fleeing inmates ran to the massive fence with the intention of blowing up the fence with the second explosive but were accosted and arrested by the security operatives.

    The state’s Controller of Prisons, Mr. Chiabu Chuks Victor, whose residence was close to the prison, gave distress calls to the state’s Police Commissioner, Amba Asuquo, who deployed a detachment of police operatives to the scene.

    The Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Desmond Agu and the Joint Task Force (JTF), also sent their officers to foil the plot.

    A security operative, who spoke in confidence, said the mastermind of the failed prison break got the IEDs through his brother-in-law, who paid him a visit in prison.

    He said the explosive was concealed in one of the sealed beverages delivered to the inmate by his in-law.

    “The IED was concealed in blue band margarine 900mg plastic pack. The content of the plastic was scooped out first.

    “Then the powdery device was buried inside the plastic and later covered with margarine. It was sealed with foil to make it look like a new product. It was smuggled into the cell as provision. It is difficult to detect such things,” he said.

    He added that Victor, after receiving the substance produced two IEDs out of it to be used in blowing the building walls.

    The state’s prison controller said the synergy among security agencies in the state saved the situation.

    He, however, said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances behind the attempted jailbreak.

     

  • Shagari, Lawan hail Dickson on projects

    Shagari, Lawan hail Dickson on projects

    Former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State Muktar Shagari and a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abba Lawan, recently visited Bayelsa State. They came on the invitation of Governor Seriake Dickson.

    The duo were, however, interested in assessing the performance of the governor. They were conducted round some of the ongoing and completed projects in the state. They were impressed and their verdict was that Dickson had done well for his state.

    Among the projects they toured were the newly established University of Africa in Toru-Orua, Dickson’s hometown in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. They also visited the Ijaw National Academy (NIA), one of the 15 boarding schools built by the governor.

    Muktar and Lawan extolled the leadership qualities of Dickson. They ruled that Dickson had made judicious use of scarce resources to develop the state through the provision of critical infrastructure, education and security.

    Shagari said: “First of all, I must say that, if somebody had told me in Sokoto of what I’m seeing here in Bayelsa, I wouldn’t have believed. I would have simply said ‘no you are just telling me stories.’

    “Like they say in China, don’t believe until you see. I’ve come and I’ve seen from Yenagoa to this place. And, having come here today to see the University of Africa, and in particular, the road that they said was completely impassable in the past before he came in, I believe that, if I have the opportunity, I’ll try to emulate what he has done, because that is what it is, for a leader to love his people.

    ‘’A leader loves his people, when he provides for them, what will make life better for them in the future. The new Governor’s Office is simply a marvel. It is something that anybody from this state and in my party (PDP) should be proud of, because, it is one of the best in the country.

    ‘’Secondly, the Ijaw National Accademy is a novel innovation and the number of students I saw in that place tells me, that the future of Bayelsa State is assured, because, education is the foundation for development, direction and understanding. I challenge anybody in this country to come here and see for himself what Governor Seriake Dickson is doing for his people.’’

    On his part,  Lawan said:  “It is an eye opener, but I’m not surprised, because, I have known the governor since our days in the House of Representatives. He is such a man that when he sets his eyes on something, he usually does that with flying colours.

    “We have gone to schools, different clinics and we have seen a lot of beautiful and wonderful things happening here. I wish the same is being achieved in my own state. I think after his services to the people of Bayelsa, we must steal and take him somewhere else to do the same wonders and magic.”

    In his remarks, Dickson has assured that, the newly established University of Africa, Toru Orua would commence undergraduate programmes by September, 2017.

    The governor  expressed satisfaction with the quality and level of construction work going on at the site. He noted that the hostel blocks were almost completed. He said his administration’s target was to begin the undergraduate programme with adequate accommodation facilities for over 1000 students.

    He said the dream of the state government was to provide a world-class university to absorb the top-flight students that would be produced from the model boarding secondary schools, including the NIA.

    Dickson commended the host communities and people of the state for their understanding and cooperation. He said that the School of Foundation Studies, which had already taken off at Bulou-Orua community with 500 students was on course.

  • Gowon, Soyinka to inaugurate projects in Bayelsa

    Gowon, Soyinka to inaugurate projects in Bayelsa

    A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, are expected in Bayelsa State to inaugurate key projects executed by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    A statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the two dignitaries were scheduled to commission some of the boarding schools built by the governor.

    The statement said already Dickson led a special team of his aides to conduct final inspection on the projects lined up for inauguration.

    Dickson was quoted to have expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far at the Ijaw National Academy.

    Dickson, who visited the Academy at Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, described the school as a flagship centre of learning to nurture future leaders of the state and the Ijaw nation.

    “It will be a failure on the part of the government to pay lip service to education, as the children will be taking over the mantle of leadership from the present generation of leaders about 30 years from now”, he said.

    He said as part of the planned three-day visit of some notable personalities to the state, Prof. Soyinka and others would interact with the students to inspire and impart in them leadership skills.

    The governor, who also visited St. Jude’s Model Girls Secondary School, Amarata, donated of N1million to the Basketball Team of the school and promised to provide more sporting facilities.

    In their separate remarks, the Principal of Ijaw National Academy, Mr. Charles Hugh and his St. Jude’s counterpart, Mrs. Celia Apreala, commended the state Governor for his passion in revamping the educational system in the state.

    Hugh urged the students to reciprocate the gesture by studying hard and charged them to be of good conduct at all times.

    Speaking on behalf of the students, Master Justice Benstowe, a Library Prefect of the Ijaw National Academy, thanked the government for its show of concern about the affairs of the school.

    In the governor’s team were his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd), Secretary to State Government, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Commissioner for Education, Elder Markson Fefegha and his Information counterpart, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite among others.

    …

     

  • Bayelsa elders to Dickson: Don’t let criticisms distract you

    Bayelsa elders to Dickson: Don’t let criticisms distract you

    Elders from the local government areas in Bayelsa State, Monday, urged the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to remain focus in his approach to development.

    The elders under the auspices of Forum of Restoration Caucus Chairmen (FRCC) insisted that the governor should overlook destructive criticisms and work with quality advice from well-meaning individuals.

    The elders said before advising the governor, they had taken time to tour all the ongoing and completed projects initiated by the governor in the eight local government areas of the state.

    In a statement issued in Yenagoa, the state capital, they said they were satisfied with the developmental strides of Dickson including his “massive investment in agriculture”.

    In the statement signed by the restoration caucus chairmen in the eight local government areas, the elders said they were excited with Dickson’s robust leadership and his achievements in the educational sector in line with his state of emergency in the sector.

    The statement was signed by the Leader of the Forum and Ekeremor Caucus Chairman, Chief T.K.O Okorotie; His Royal Highness Serena Dokubo, Brass; Talford Ongolo, Southern Ijaw and Dr. George Fente, Nembe.

    Others are Chief Godwin Odumgba, Yenagoa; Chief Francis Duokpola, Sagbama; Mr. Isaac Kumokou, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Chief George Okrinya, Ogbia.

    While commending the educational strides of the governor, the elders appealed to the state government to complete ongoing projects in the Jasper Isaac Boro College of Education to cater for increasing school population.

    They appreciated the governor for prudently managing the state’s lean resources saying it accounted for the execution of many developmental projects in the state.

    The elders said: “We urge the governor to continue on this path for the government to achieve more. We also urge all contractors handling state and federal projects in the state to use quality materials and to keep to the timelines contained in their contract agreements.

    “We observed the appreciable stability of the polity in the state with the specific reference to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and advise members of the party to be steadfast as we look forward to the eventual resolution of the party’s crisis.

    “This resolution is actively pursued by the PDP National Peace and Reconciliation Committed headed by Governor Seriake Dickson and other stakeholders across the country”.

    In their appraisal of all the projects in the eight local government areas, the elders said that there was hope that road would get to Ekeremor before the end of the year.

    They observed that in Brass, government was taking steps to partner with the Federal Government to actualise the abandoned Brass LNG project.

    In Kolokuma/Opokuma, they commended the government for completing the Ijaw National Academy and admitting 1000 students.

    “The befitting permanent camp for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been put to use. Also completed is the skills acquisition centre in Kolokuma/Opokuma”, they said.