The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa State

  • NYSC, NSCDC decry drowning of corps members in Bayelsa

    NYSC, NSCDC decry drowning of corps members in Bayelsa

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Bayelsa State, Wednesday, lamented death of corps members in the state through boat mishaps.

    The two agencies raised the concern when the new state Commandant, NYSC, Mrs. Loto Bolade paid a courtesy visit to the state Commandant of the NSCDC, Desmond Agu, in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Corps members serving in some riverine communities in the state have been losing their lives following boat mishaps.

    But Agu urged NYSC authorities to impress it upon youths participating in the scheme especially persons posted to the coastal areas to always make use of their life jackets when traveling.

    He said: “Bayelsa State has a different terrain. It is 70 per cent water. So, always tell the corps members to carry their life jackets and wear them whenever they are traveling. Even if they can swim, they should not be over-confident.

    “NYSC should also ensure that they are constantly in touch with youths posted to remote areas. Always keep in touch with the youths and ensure that their employers are treating them well”.

    Agu said his command would always contribute to the success of NYSC programmes in the state by providing the needed security.

    He advised that all federal agencies should work together to assist one another in the discharge of their duties adding that agencies should not work in acrimony.

    In her response, Bolade said NYSC was working hard to ensure that members of the corps posted to rural areas in the state were given life jackets.

    “We will continue to talk to the corps members posted to the riverine areas to always wear their life jackets. We will keep talking to them”, she said.

    Bolade, who was redeployed from Niger State, thanked the NSCDC for its cooperation especially in the areas of security.

    She appealed to the command for more support and demanded security presence at the Kaiama camp for the forthcoming orientation programme.

  • Private refinery to begin operation in Bayelsa in 2018

    The Azikel Group of Companies, (AGC), owned by an industrialist from Bayelsa State, Monday, said its refinery would begin operation in Bayelsa State in 2018.

    The President of AGC, Dr. Azibapu Eruani, who spoke in Yenagoa, hailed the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for giving oil refining and prospecting licences to private oil firms.

    Eruani, said his company was one of the beneficiaries of the government’s initiative, adding that company intended to begin local petroleum production in 2018.

    The billionaire businessman, noted that the oil and gas component of his conglomerate would support the Federal Government to improve capacity and increase production and supply of petroleum products in the country.

    Describing Bayelsa as the epicentre of oil and gas in the country, he said it was worrisome that many Bayelsans could not establish themselves as key players in the sector of the nation’s economy.

    Eruani said the private refinery initiative by the Federal Government would positively turn around the oil and gas sector.

    He insisted that the granting of oil refining licences from the beginning of Buhari’s administration was a strategic success for his government.

    He explained that building any type of refinery required enough time adding that work at the Azikel Refinery site had gone above 60 per cent.

    Eruani said: ”Azikel Group is racing against time to be the first to commence production of petroleum products in 2018.

    ”Sequel to the increase in the end users of refined petroleum products, demand and the insufficiency, with the nation’s refineries producing at less than 15 per cent installed capacity, the Federal Government’s sagacity is germane to improve production.

    ”The 23 firms granted licences have the capacity to shore up production by over 700, 000 barrel per day to bridge the insufficiency gap.”

    According to him the government’s plan to replace illegal refineries with modular refineries was a welcome development.

    He said that the development would outlaw incessant destruction of national assets, damage to the ecosystem and robbing the nation of foreign reserve.

    He alłuded that the issuance of refinery and oil prospecting licences by President Buhari was to integrate the people of the Niger Delta in the sector, pointing out that it was part of the ways of allowing the people to control their resources.

    On the location of the Azikel Refinery at Obunagh Gbarain in Yenagoa area of Bayelsa, Eruani said it was based on economics of location of industry close to source of raw materials.

  • ASUU warns of imminent closure of universities

    ASUU warns of imminent closure of universities

    …Says govt starving workers

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), at the weekend, said universities owned by federal and state governments were faced with imminent closure following lack of prompt payment of staff salaries.

    Speaking at a press conference in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Port Harcourt Zone of ASUU said its zone was the worst hit with the issues of shortfall in salaries and unpaid salary arrears.

    The institutions in the zone are the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State; Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State; Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Rivers State; and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State.

    In the news conference titled, ‘Shortfall and drawback of university staff salaries’, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Prof. Beke Sese, said lecturers would no longer continue to endure the situations against the backdrop of current economic hardship in Nigeria.

    Sese described the idea of withholding university staff salaries while establishing new universities at the same time as the height of irresponsibility and wickedeness.

    He said:”Our members are being compelled by the actions and inactions of government to contemplate the hard decision of withdrawing our services.

    ”We call on the students, parents, the media and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and request the federal as well as state governments to live up to their responsibilities in the universities to avoid the imminent and avoidable closure of our campuses.”

    The professor lamented that last year, the Federal Government and some state governments enforced a policy of starvation in the universities by either paying fractional salaries or outright non-payment of salaries.

    He said academic institutions had become the major recipients of ”this inhuman and abhorrent policy of starvation”, adding that at the Niger Delta University (NDU), lecturers were not paid salaries for a period of six months.

    He lamented that lecturers could no longer cope with caring for their families, paying their children’s school fees and meeting other commitments with such imposed deficit in their income.

    Sese said: ”That academic activities still go on at NDU in the face of this extreme deprivation, is indeed, an exemplary demonstration of patriotism, patience and unbridled commitment to service by members. But the elasticity definitely has a limit and should not be stretched any further.

    ”In both RSUST and IAUE, the government of the state has withheld union check-offs, which by interpretation is tantamount to paying fractional salaries.

    ”In the case of Uniport, fractional salaries were paid throughout last year and when there was hope of the refund of the withheld portion of salaries, the government resumed its policy of paying part salaries.

    ”The administration of the school claimed that there was shortfall in allocation to the institution between July 2016 and December 2016, but shortfall was part of the staff emolument all through the year (2016).”

    In his brief remarks, Chairman, NDU, ASUU, Dr. Stanley Ogoun, said since the suspension of their strike last year, the union had engaged in continuous dialogue and interraction with the Bayelsa State Government.

    But he said that if at the end of the day, all their negotiations with the government failed, the branch might be compelled to sit back at home.

    He said: ”But let me correct an impression: there are sister unions within the university system. Often times, when other unions are on strike, but because ASUU appears to be more popular among them, it is assumed ASUU is on strike. As we speak, other unions in NDU are on strike, not ASUU.”

  • Police kill two armed robbers in gun duel

    Police kill two armed robbers in gun duel

    Two armed robbers have been killed by the police in Bayelsa State during a gunfight in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    It was gathered that a gang of three gunmen attacked the Ankos Supermarket located at the Opolo area of the state capital at the weekend.

    But the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police in a swift response after a distress call chased the robbers, who were said o be escaping with their loots.

    The robbers engaged the police in a gun duel but capitulated to the superior firearms of the SARS.

    While two of them sustained bullet wounds and were later confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), one of them reportedly escaped.

    Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, said the robbers stole N105,000 belonging to the supermarket, two locally-made revolver pistols and a female handbag containing N10,000.

    Butswat said: “On Thursday 9th March, 2017 at about 1530hrs, three young men armed with locally made pistols, attacked Ankos Supermarket at Opolo, Yenagoa, and carted away the sum of one hundred and five thousand naira (N105,000.)

    “The Special Anti Roberry Squad (SARS) swiftly responded to the distress and the armed robbers engaged the Policemen in a gun duel.

    “Consequently, one of the suspect escaped, while the other suspects sustained gun shot injuries, they were arrested and taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, for treatment where they were confirmed dead. The corpes were deposited for autopsy.

    “Two locally made revolver pistols, with three live .9mm ammunition, one female purse containing ten thousand five hundred naira(#10,500) and an ear ring, were recovered from the deceased suspects. Manhunt has been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect. Investigation is ongoing”.

  • Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

    Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

     

    The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has expressed displeasure with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state.

    Makarfi’s anger at Dickson stemmed from the publicity given the governor’s presentation of a committee report to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff on Tuesday.

    Among others, the said report contained recommendations for the conduct of a national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30.

    In a statement he circulated in Abuja on Wednesday, Makarfi faulted the Bayelsa Governor for making the report public without consultation with relevant stakeholders.

    According to him, the governor spurned advice to circulate and consult widely with key organs and stakeholders, adding that the said report was still subject to review and amendment.

    Makarfi said Dickson presented him with a draft of the report and that he had advised the governor to ensure proper consultation and effect some changes before making it public.

    “I am shocked and disappointed that the Gov. of Bayelsa made public presentation of a purported report approved or endorsed by us and other stakeholders as reported.

    “He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals. That it will go against even the Court of Appeal Judgement.

    “At the end, I told him as Caretaker Committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with and I advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.

    “Be that as it may, the Committee never saw any draft report even though he promised coming with it. In any case, as personal advice, I referred him back to the organs of the party and the Goodluck Jonathan Committee. There was nothing before us from organs of the party to accept or reject”.

    The said report had conceded to Sheriff powers to preside over the proposed and to select 12 members into the Convention Planning Committee, in consultation with party stakeholders.

    Among those listed as members of the Convention Planning Committee include seven serving governors, seven serving senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the BoT and six national vice chairmen.

    Others include 18 zonal chairmen, six Speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent Women Leaders, six youth leaders and six former ministers.

     

  • Pastor, three others die in Bayelsa crash

    A pastor identified as Adama and three other persons have been feared dead in a motors accident that occurred along the Ammassoma-Yenagoa road in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that many others sustained various degrees of injuries in the crash that happened at about 3pm on Sunday.

    Among the injured casualties was a 300-level student of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Miss Debora Willimor.

    Willimor had a broken leg and was rushed to the Gloryland Medical Centre but was later relocated to a traditional bone healer by her family.

    Eyewitnesses said that the accident involved a 14-seater bus and a private car adding that over-speeding and reckless overtaking caused the crash.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Butwat Asinim, who confirmed the incident gave the registration number of the bus and the car as Yen 279 KA AU 162 USL.

    He said the vehicles were involved in head-on collision.

    Bayelsa Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) could not give details of the accident as most of its personnel said they were yet to visit the accident scene.

    But Butswat said one person was confirmed dead on the spot.

    One of the survivors of the accident, identified as Miss Tare, a clerical officer at the Federal University, Otuoke said they were returning to Yenagoa from Amasoma when the incident happened.

    She thanked God for surviving the accident.

  • Police parade 17 suspected cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    Police parade 17 suspected cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    The police in Bayelsa State, Thursday, paraded 17 suspected youths arrested in connections with armed robbery and cultism.

    One of the suspects identified as Innocent Chidoka was arrested for robbing his passenger, Mrs Happiness Orukipadi along Mbiama-Yenagoa road of her bag containing personal belongings.

    Chidoka was reportedly nabbed in the act while his dagger, handbag of the victim and a tricycle with registration number KMR 589 WL were recovered from him.

    The Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, who paraded the suspects said one Joseph Precious, who threw his pistol away and escaped from a crime scene after attacking one Solomon Preye at a gunpoint, was apprehended by the police.

    He said the Anti-Robbery Squad later sighted Precious, a suspected cultist, at Tombia Roundabout in Yenagoa and arrested him adding that the suspect led the police to recover another locally made revolver pistol.

    Amba said the police also rounded up three suspected cultists, Ese Jacob, Endurance Dede and Nwobiara Chinedu, who gathered at the Transformer Junction, Swali planning to unleash trouble in Swali Community.

    He said: “The Police swung into action and arrested the three suspects. A locally-made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from the suspects. The suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to be members of the Greenland Secret Cult.

    “In Sagbama Town, a leader of a notorious secret cult group, one Peremobowei Eyitimbai was arrested with a locally-made pistol and two live pistols.

    “Policemen on patrol along Tombia-Amassoma Road arrested one Ovieni Johnson. A locally made single barrel pistol with one live cartridge was recovered from him”.

    On strategies adopted by the police to fight crimes in the state, he said: “We have intensified patrols and surveillance. Members of the public are more willing to volunteer useful information.

    “This strategy has paid off with the arrest of armed robbers, recovery of firearms, recovery of cars and arrest of suspected cultist”.

    Amba said having effectively tackled kidnapping in the state, the issue of cultism had become rampant in the state.

    But he said that his command was engaged in a mass arrest of suspected cultists adding that anybody apprehended would be diligently prosecuted.

    He urged parents to pay attention to the activities of their children to discourage them from getting involved in cultism.

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  • Court order Shell, directors to appear before Bayelsa tribunal

    Court order Shell, directors to appear before Bayelsa tribunal

    The State High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State has mandated the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to appear before the Physical Planning Tribunal established by the state government.

    SPDC earlier refused to put up an appearance before the tribunal and through its lawyer, Dafe Akpedeye (SAN), obtained an interim order from the state High Court stopping the invitation pending the determination of its application.

    The application challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal arguing that it had no powers to invite the company.

    The Physical Planning Tribunal was set up in pursuant to the Physical Planning law enacted by the state House of Assembly to deal with issues of town planning, urban and regional planning and payment of levies.

    The state dragged the company to the tribunal following allegations that it violated the law by erecting structures and carrying out some development without requisite permission.

    The state argued that SPDC erred in law by refusing to put an appearance at the tribunal first before challenging its jurisdiction.

    In his ruling, Justice Young Ogola of the state High Court relied on a precedent set by the Court of Appeal which said any party summoned by the court must first appear before raising an objection.

    Ogola upheld the position of the state and compelled the company and its directors to personally appear before the tribunal.

  • Oil theft: JTF destroys 3 illegal refineries in Niger Delta

    The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) said on Saturday in Yenagoa that it had destroyed three illegal oil distillation sites in Delta and Rivers.

    Spokesman of ODSafe, Maj. Abubakar Abdullahi confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “Troops of the Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Delta successfully carried out a raid on two illegal refineries along LAPASE CREEK in Warri South of Delta State.

    “During the raid, 11 metal tanks, 5 dug pits with about 1750 Tons of suspected stolen crude oil and 170 Tons of illegally refined AGO were impounded.

    “Also troops of sector three also destroyed a large illegal refinery with multiple dumps at ALAKIRI in Rivers State.’’

    Abdullahi said when the oil thieves sighted the military troops that they set fire on parts of their bunkering camp to deny the force access to the illegal site.

    He said the troops eventually put off the fire and destroyed the illegal refining site.
    The spokesman said the operation was part of renewed efforts to protect the country’s oil and gas infrastructure in the region.

    He said the military had intensified its operation in the region to frustrate the activities of oil thieves and vandals, whom he described as economic saboteurs.

    According to him, JTF has, therefore, deployed Operation Delta Safe (ODS) to secure the area against illegal bunkering.

    He urged law abiding members of the public to support operational activities of ODS with valuable information that would lead to achieving the mandate for which it was set up and securing oil facilities.

    “We are here to protect oil and gas infrastructure, deter and prevent sea robbery, to stop crude oil theft and other crimes within the joint area of operation that could impact negatively on economic activities in the Niger Delta.”

  • 2018 census can’t be manipulated, says commissioner

    2018 census can’t be manipulated, says commissioner

    A Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission (NPC), Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo, has assured that the national census scheduled for 2018 will not be manipulated by anybody.

    Declaring the third phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, open, Izonfuo, said the 2018 census would be biometric based.

    “It will seek to capture the facial impression and fingerprints of persons during the census period. Any hope of gaining advantage through manipulation of EAD will at best be an illusion that cannot be realized as only persons physically seen will be counted and their biometrics taken”, she said.

    She appealed to the state government, local government councils, traditional institutions and communities to support the commission in carrying out the EAD ahead of the census.

    She urged all the stakeholders to sensitise the people and allow the commission unfettered access to facilities and places to be demarcated.

    “We want to make a passionate appeal for these stakeholders to refrain from undue intervention in the EAD project. The staff should be allowed to carry out their duties professionally and give to the nation an EAD frame that will for the basis for a successful census”, she said.

    She explained that the EAD exercise was not the enumeration of persons living in the country and its outcome would not determine the population of any community, local government or state.

    She described the EAD is a division of the country into small geographical areas to facilitate enumeration adding that the commission will count only persons found in such units.

    Izonfuo, therefore, said that the population figures of any administrative unit would not be determined by the number of EAs that had been carved out of such units.

    She said: “Adequate logistics have been put in place for effective deployment of personnel an materials during the EAD exercise. Vehicles for the movement of demarcators and materials are being provided.

    “The assistance of local government councils and traditional institution is being solicited in the provisions of accommodation for the field staff. The support of the state government and security agencies are being solicited to ensure adequate security of personnel and materials during the exercise”.

    She said the commission was deploying sophisticated technology to carry out the EAD adding that the methodology for the census was designed to achieve full geographical Information System (GIS) compliance.

    She said: “High resolution satellite imagery will be used to ensure that no area is left demarcated or no place duplicated. The process being created will not allow for the creation of imaginary EAs and any attempt to include non-existing households and buildings in the EAs will be detected through satellite imagery.

    “To us at the commission, the significance of the EAD goes beyond the conduct of the 2018 census as we plan to establish no maintain a national frame including locality list and house numbering for future censuses and surveys in line with the mandate of the commission.

    “Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) will be used in capturing spatial data and estimate EAs during demarcation. This scientific approach to demarcation will eliminate human elements as the process is capable of detecting human errors and preventing manipulations”.