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Tag: Bayelsa

  • Bayelsa holds valedictory session for Yakowa Tuesday

    Bayelsa holds valedictory session for Yakowa Tuesday

    The Bayelsa Executive Council will hold a special valedictory session in honour of late Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State on Tuesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Yakowa died in Saturday’s helicopter crash in Bayelsa.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Markson Fefegha, in Yenagoa on Monday.

    Fefegha said the session would hold on Tuesday at the Government House, Yenagoa.

    “The State Government will, thereafter, send a delegation of top government functionaries to accompany the casket of the governor to Kaduna where it will be formally handed over to Kaduna State government,’’ he said.

    The commissioner said that an enlarged Bayelsa Government delegation, to be led by Governor Seriake Dickson, is expected to visit Kaduna on December 19.

    He said the delegation will participate in the funeral activities scheduled to take place on December 20.

     

  • Bayelsa condoles with Yakowa, Azazi families

    Bayelsa condoles with Yakowa, Azazi families

    Bayelsa State Government last night condoles with the families of Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and ex-National Security Adviser Gen Owoye Azazi, who died in yesterday’s chopper crash along with their aides and the pilots.

    In a statement by Commissioner for Information and Culture, Markson Fefegha, the government said:

    “The Bayelsa State Government wishes to condole with the family, people and Government of Kaduna State over the ill-fated helicopter crash that claimed the life of His Excellency, Patrick Yakowa, while returning from a funeral ceremony of the father to the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation, the late Pa Douglas at Tombi area of Okoroba Community, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State at about 16:00 hours on the 15th of December, 2012.

    “The Bayelsa State Government also wishes to condole with the family of the immediate past National Security Adviser and the Chairman of Bayelsa State Post Flood Management Committee, General Andrew Owoye Azazi (rtd).

    “Our heartfelt condolences also go to the families of the personal security aides to both Governor Yakowa and General Azazi .

    “The vacuum created by the demise of these notable personalities will be difficult to fill given their contributions to the growth of not only their respective states but the country as a whole.”

  • Flood: Bayelsa budgets N6bn for reconstruction

    BAYELSA State has earmarked N6 billion for the reconstruction of public schools and hospitals destroyed during the recent flood that ravaged most parts of the state.

    Governor Seriake Dickson told newsmen that contractors will soon be mobilised to commence the reconstruction.

    He said: ‘’this month, education alone will have over N6 billion. For the contractors, there will be 40% mobilisation for model and boarding schools in every council.”

    The Governor added that N1.9 billion will be released to contractors for construction of health centres across the councils.

    Explaining the post-flood plan of the administration, the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd), who is also the Chairman of the State Emergency Relief Management Committee, stated that massive supply of food items to the affected communities will commence immediately.

    Jonah added that the rehabilitation camps were closed for security reasons.

     

  • Bayelsa account for monthly allocations

    The Bayelsa State Government has accounted for its federal allocation for September and October.

    It said it received the N25 billion for both months.

    Deputy Governor Gboribiogha John Jonah spoke in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the Transparency Initiative Briefing.

    Jonah said in September, the state got N2 billion from statutory allocation and N12 billion from gross, including over N8 billion from derivation and N532 million from Value Added Tax (VAT).

    Flanked by Governor Seriake Dickson and other members of the State Executive Council, Jonah said the state government got N311 million refund from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and N768 million from augmentation.

    The deputy governor said the state got N509 million refund from excess crude savings and N187 million refund from the revised 13 per cent deduction from August, 2008 to 2009.

    He said the deductions amounted to N3 billion after Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) deductions.

    Of this figure, Jonah said Bond deductions stood at over N1 billion while foreign loans came up to N12 million.

    He said the state paid N83 million as its Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme obligation.

    The deputy governor said N86 million was refunded for overpayment and the Net inflow from FAAC after deductions amounted to N9 billion.

    He said IGR from August increased to N479 million, leaving a balance of N903 million.

    Jonah said the total fund available is N9 billion.

    On expenditure, he said bank loan repayment gulped over N1 billion and the Federal Inland Revenue Service deductions N200 million.

    Jonah said over N3 billion was spent on salaries of civil servants; over N249 million on that of political appointees.

    He said N1 billion was paid as monthly overhead.

    Jonah said monthly standing approvals stood at N194 million with gratuity payment coming up to N250 million, totaling N6 billion.

    Giving N26 billion as balance brought forward from August, 2012, the deputy governor said total funds available to the government as at September 30 was N22 billion.

    In October, Jonah said the state got N2 billion from the FAAC; N9 billion from derivation; N564 million from VAT, N1 billion from the SURE-Programme and N311 million from NNPC.

    He said the gross inflow was N13 billion and a deduction of N3 billion was made, including bond deduction of over N1 billion.

    Jonah said foreign loans recovery was N12 million; refund from Domestic Crude Savings Account, N509 million; and refund of overpayment of derivation, N187 million.

    He said over N3 billion was paid as salary to civil servants and N304 million to political appointees.

    Jonah said monthly overhead payments cost N1 billion and the total fund available at the end of October was N23 billion.

     

  • We’ll pay pensioners, says Bayelsa

    The Bayelsa State Government has pledged to pay all outstanding entitlements to pensioners.

    It condemned moves by some unscrupulous elements to defraud the state by capitalising on the uncoordinated manner the payment was done in the past.

    The government said it has put machinery in place to ensure that outstanding gratuities, most of which were inherited from past administrations, are paid.

    In a statement, the governor’s media aide, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said while the government sympathises with the affected pensioners, it was uncomfortable with their subtle threat.

    The pensioners had given the government a two-week ultimatum to pay their entitlements.

    Iworiso-Markson said: “We assure our pensioners for the umpteenth time that we are concerned about their plight and the government is working assiduously to ensure prompt payment of outstanding gratuities.

    “We have before us the report of the committee instituted by the government to look into the matter and will soon take actions that will be in the interest of not just the pensioners, but the state as a whole.

    “We urge genuine pensioners to be patient with the government, as all their entitlements would be paid to the last kobo. We will do the right thing.

    “The issue of non-payment of pensioners’ gratuities predates this administration. In fact, records in the Government House clearly show that pensioners were last paid in 2005.

    “It is one of the several liabilities and challenges that this administration inherited from past administrations and it will not be fair for the pensioners to pin this problem on us.

    “It is glaring that we are making spirited efforts to right the wrongs of past administrations, since government is a continuum. Our resolve to plug all loopholes and corrupt channels used to siphon money out of the state should be encouraged by all.

    “It will surprise you that most of the N3.5 billion unpaid gratuities claims were cooked up. Upon verification, a number of names on the list were fictitious.

    “We cannot continue to condone the perpetration of fraud by syndicates, who are bent on defrauding the system by exploiting the greed of a few corrupt civil servants.

    “As far as this administration is concerned, it is no longer business as usual. Every fraud in the system will be flushed out and the culprits will face the music.”

     

  • Bayelsa pensioners petition Jonathan

    Frustrated pensioners in Bayelsa State have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to help ensure the immediate payment of their pensions and gratuities, even as they lament the death of 20 of their members  in the course of their seemingly endless wait.

    The pensioners, who spoke as members of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, said they have gone through various humiliations and gave two weeks ultimatum to  the state government to pay their outstanding gratuity, amounting to about N3.5billion.

    But the Bayelsa State Government has said it was doing everything possible to meet the demands of the pensioners and asked them to be patient.

    The chairman of the state chapter of the union,  HRH Emmanuel Namatebe, and his members, had in a press conference, told journalists that the state government was not adhering to the pension laws.

    Namatebe noted that  pensioners in the state had expected Governor Seriake Dickson to act in accordance with the laws  of  pension, especially as a lawyer and former lawmaker.

    “As a legal practitioner and a former lawmaker, he ought to have identified with section 210 sub section 3 of the 1999 Constitution, which states that pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any state Civil Service salary review which ever that is earlier,”’the Chairman said.

    While lamenting that  they are fed up with the flimsy promises of government over the payment of the areas, the pensioners vowed: “We are giving government end of November to pay or else we will seek redress in the law courts.”

    The pensioners appealed to Dickson and President Goodluk Jonathan to intervene to fasttrack the payment of their backlog of arrears and gratuities, well as thirty months salary arrears owed to some primary school retirees.

    But Dickson, who responded to the myriad of allegations from the pensioners through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Markson Iworiso, stated that government was very much concerned with the plight of the pensioners. According to him, this led to the setting up of a committee by the government to look into the matter. He, however, said  there are fictitious names on the list of pensioners, adding that government  was working hard to ensure that only genuine pensioners  are paid.

    The protesting pensioners carried placards with inscriptions like, “Pay us our gratuity before we die,” “Retirement shouldn’t be a course,”’ “Respect our age as senior citizens,”’ and “What goes  around must come around, your time is coming.”

  • Bayelsa, Rivers Oil Wells Row: Jonathan’s fresh peace move suffers setback

    Bayelsa, Rivers Oil Wells Row: Jonathan’s fresh peace move suffers setback

    • Amaechi’s absence forces President to shift peace meeting
    • Rivers State gets N17.5b refund from two oil fields

     

    A fresh move by President Goodluck Jonathan to resolve the row between Bayelsa and Rivers states over the Soku/Oluasiri oil wells suffered a setback Friday due to the absence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    The expanded peace session was expected to involve Amaechi, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and all relevant parties to the dispute.

    While the two states bicker, a letter to the Accountant-General of the Federation by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has confirmed that about N17.5billion has been refunded to Rivers State being revenue due the state from Nda and Okwori oil fields from 2007 to date.

    The oil fields are part of the Soku/Oluasiri oil wells in dispute.

    The letter from RMAFC indicates that refund to any aggrieved state, including Bayelsa State, is a normal practice once a proper boundary demarcation has been established between disputing states by both the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation(OSGF).

    The Friday meeting was to be a follow-up to a similar audience which the President had with Kalabri leaders and the Rivers State Government penultimate Friday.

    It was, however, gathered that Amaechi, who had officially travelled out of the country, delegated his deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru, and other stakeholders to attend.

    But the Presidency is insisting on the presence of Amaechi in order to ensure true reconciliation of the two parties

    As at press time, Governor Seriake Dickson was still hanging around in Abuja for his colleague from Rivers State to arrive.

    Reliable sources who spoke in confidence said the meeting was fixed for 6.00 pm on Friday with the President suspending some engagements to facilitate the peace talks.

    When it became obvious that Amaechi would not make it, the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadhome, wrote a letter to the governor shifting the session.

    A reliable Rivers State Government official said: “Governor Amaechi is interested in the resolution of the crisis. He actually travelled abroad for some engagements.

    “Apparently aware that the Rivers State governor was not in town, the Presidency on November 8 postponed the peace meeting scheduled for November 9. The government wanted Amaechi and Dickson to sit and resolve the dispute.

    “It is not true that Governor Amaechi avoided or shunned any meeting at the Villa. He has no basis to do so.

    “As a matter of fact, the President through the Chief of Staff, Ogiadhome, wrote a letter which was submitted at the Rivers Liaison Office in Abuja on November 8 for onward transmission to the governor. He said the President mandated him to shift the peace meeting slated for November 9.”

    “In the letter, the Chief of Staff also indicated that “a new date will be communicated.”

    A letter RMC/O &G/34/VOL. II/263 from RMAFC to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. J.O. Otunla, confirmed the refund to Rivers State by seven oil producing states.

    Although the letter was dated January 17, 2012, it has thrown more insight into the crisis of confidence between the two states.

    The letter reads: “I write to inform you that the Rivers State Government in a letter Ref. No. COM/FIN/T/01 of 3rd October 2011 requested for the payment of all the 13 per cent derivation revenue due to the state from Nda and Okwori oil fields from 2007 to date.

    “The commission examined the request and confirmed that Okwori and Nda oil fields belong to Rivers State based on the Report of the Inter-Agency Committee on the attribution of offshore oilfields to Littoral states, 2008 and submissions by National Boundary Commission (NBC) and Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation(OSGF).

    “Furthermore, the 13 per cent derivation proceed from the two oil fields were shared amongst all the oil producing states from April 2009 to June 2010, while Akwa Ibom State exclusively enjoyed the proceed from Okwori oil field from July to August, 2010 and from July 2010 to January 2011 in the case of Nda oil field.

    “It is to be noted that the Rivers State Government has since September 2010 and February 2011 been receiving its due share of 13 per cent derivation proceed from Okwori and Nda fields respectively.

    “Consequently, the commission after considering the request from the Rivers State Government and the submission from both the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation(OSGF), approved that Rivers State should be refunded the sum of N17,566, 394,965.18b by all the oil producing states being accrued 13 per cent derivation fund from April 2009 to January 2011.

    “The amount to be refunded by each state is as follows: Abia (N226,253,896.74); Akwa Ibom (N9, 567,732,283.95); Bayelsa (N2 071, 164,678.46); Delta (N4, 142, 271,632.95); Edo ( N305,693,768.40); Imo (N260,733,722.65); Ondo (N952,544,973.05).”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Bayelsa versus Rivers

    Bayelsa versus Rivers

    The land dispute is a scandal and smacks of feudal politics

    Boundary disputes are, thankfully, envisaged by our laws. That is why the constitution created the National Boundary Commission inured with powers to intermediate in such disputes. Unfortunately, the dispute between Rivers and Bayelsa states has been elevated because of the value of oil lying within the bowels of the disputed land. But even more unfortunate is the attempt to foist a feudalistic intermediation, (some insinuate) simply because President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from Bayelsa State, is currently the President. Yet we are in a democracy and the disagreement between the states is already before a court.

    In our view, and we guess that of many Nigerians, the resort to primordial sentiments instead of constitutionalism on this issue, belittles the integrity of our democracy. In this case, the President has unwittingly taken over a matter that is sub judice, and is gregariously seeking to use his official status as the head of the executive to determine same. This development is not good for the image of the President and is not tenable in a democracy either. What is right is for the boundary commission to diligently exercise its constitutional responsibilities and forward its findings to the court, which is empowered to weigh the evidence and make profound pronouncements as the facts of the matter dictate.

    To do otherwise is to engage in the abuse of due process. The President and governors who are attempting to foist their stature and personal disposition on the matter need to be reminded to retrace their steps, and allow the unfettered intermediation of the law. The courts must also rise up to their constitutional responsibilities of enforcing the rule of law, in this matter. If truly the courts sanctioned that the money realised from the oil derived from the disputed land should be kept in an escrow account, the officials of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) that released it to Bayelsa State must be sanctioned.

    If the decision to keep the money in an escrow account since 2000 when the dispute arose was administrative, then the President needs to explain who ordered the commission to hand over the money to his home state government. Without a plausible explanation by the commission why the money in dispute was released to one of the claimants, the accusation of bias and undue influence levelled against the President may stand. The President stands accused because he is from the benefitting state, Bayelsa; and many would argue that if not for his influence, the commission would not suddenly get into an overdrive to pay Bayelsa State the money kept since 2000, when the matter is yet to be resolved.

    We also ponder why the courts have been dillydallying over this matter, or were they hamstrung by the failure to procure facts from the administrative agencies to resolve the dispute? Considering the potent power of the dispute to disrupt the national economy, we are surprised that more than a decade after, there is no concerted effort to resolve an ordinary boundary dispute. Again, if the boundary commission accepted in a letter that the last official map, unlike the previous maps, wrongly situated the land in Bayelsa State, why didn’t it as a matter of priority do a fresh map since 13 years ago, to save the country the hiccups?

    If there should be a descent into anarchy over this dispute, will it not be right to hold the commission culpable for dereliction of duty? To avoid unpleasant consequences, considering the previous history of the region, it is important that the boundary commission is encouraged to quickly do the right thing. The ongoing resort to influence peddling and mudslinging by officials of the two states should be stopped. Our country cannot claim to be practising democracy and availed of modern capabilities in the field of survey and area mapping, yet we prefer anachronistic tendencies of the big man syndrome.

    In this respect if truly as alleged by the Rivers State Government, political permutations over the 2015 election are underlining the dispute, that must be condemned. If the allegation is correct, we remind those involved that they are playing games with the lives of the neighbouring communities, who may resort to violence to settle the dispute. If such disingenuous calculation is at play, then those using the influence of President Jonathan today, would be sure to regurgitate the money paid once a president beholden to the interests of the people of Rivers State gets into Aso Rock. As we have stated, a land dispute is not a rocket science, and can be fairly resolved based on historical fact as can be proved in the courts. To avoid unnecessary rancour among the Ijaw brothers of Bayelsa and Rivers states, their elites must raise law over illogic and the sentiments of feudalism.

  • Bayelsa flood victims eager to return home

    Bayelsa flood victims eager to return home

    Flood-affected victims in Bayelsa State are desperate to go back to their communities as the flood recedes in snail-like progression. This is coming on the heels of waiting for government’s final package to enable them go and settle in their respective communities.

    A visit to some of the camps in Yenagoa, the state capital, revealed that most of the inmates are tired of staying in temporary abodes.

    This is even as some alleged that government is trying to force them out of the camps as indicated by the supply of meager materials to the camps.

    But government attributed the problem to acts of mischief by some people asked to assist government to ensure proper coordination.

    A visit to the camps also revealed that some of the victims had started going back to assess the extent of damage in their communities.

    Mr. Nikki Maworuya, the Coordinator of the Sports Complex Camp of the flood victims in Yenagoa said 99 percent of the inmates are set to go back to their various communities but they are waiting for government to provide transport to enable them move.

    According to him, though some had returned to their communities but those still remaining have had their names compiled while waiting for response from government.

    He also disclosed that four women successfully gave birth to babies.

    On some items that are not readily made available even though they were applied for, he said government provided everything.

    But investigations revealed that those in charge of providing them were not forthcoming with them.

    “Mattresses are there but even when we applied, we have not received them,” a source who pleaded not to be named, disclosed.

    Also commenting on how the displaced persons in the camp are eager to go back to their Communities, Dr. Duenebiyah Udisi, the Coordinator of the BDGS Camp of the flood victims in Yenagoa, also disclosed that they were waiting for a package from the government to enable them take care of their homes that had been ravaged by the flood.

     

  • Bayelsa didn’t collect N17b, says Dickson

    Bayelsa didn’t collect N17b, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State has denied receiving N17billon from an escrow account in the Federation Account as alleged by Rivers State.

    The cash, according to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, was kept in the account, pending the determination of the dispute over the Soku oil wells between the two states, but was “surreptitiously released to Bayelsa State”.

    But Bayelsa Governor Seriake Dickson, at the inauguration of the 14-man state Boundaries Committee yesterday, denied the claim.

    He said: “It is not true that Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) paid any amount of money to the government of Bayelsa State wrongly from an escrow account. That is wrong; that is not true. No N17bn was ever kept in any escrow account; no such money was ever paid to the Government of Bayelsa State.

    “That is deliberate falsehood that has been put out there to create an impression of bias on the part of a hardworking, impartial federal agency that is doing its work. The truth, however is this:

    “Last year, the government of Bayelsa State in the last administration made some claims against Rivers State on the account of revenue collection due Bayelsa in respect of some disputed wells.

    “The government of Rivers State and its officials duly defended this claim and at the end of it there was a reconciliation of figures. At the end of the reconciliation, it was found and agreed upon by all parties, including officials of the Government of Rivers, that Rivers State government had wrongly collected the sum of N17bn that was due Bayelsa State.

    “That was determined and found to be a fact at the reconciliation. Therefore, an agreement was reached by all parties, including the representatives of the Government of Rivers State for a refund to be made. Government of Rivers State also made a counter claim of wrongful payment of some other wells in its territory to Bayelsa State and other neighbouring states.

    “The appropriate Federal agencies looked at these claims, heard from all the parties and found that as a fact that Rivers State government was entitled to refund of close of N15-N16bn again in defence, there was an agreement reached for refund, as a result of which all the states affected were made to refund that money. Refund was agreed upon to be made to Rivers State. Either all the states affected have paid or in the process of doing so. The government of Bayelsa State was made to pay about N2bn as refund to Rivers State based on that consensual understanding.

    The government of Bayelsa State consequently after paying our refund to Rivers state got about N15.1bn. In line with our transparent regime in this state, we duly declared this earning to the people of Bayelsa State. As I am talking to you, this sum is safely kept in the account of the government of Bayelsa State and when the flood and rain subside, we shall direct it into putting back our critical infrastructure.

    “It is mischievous for anybody to allege and create an impression that the sum of N17bn was ever kept in an escrow account and that a federal agency paid it out to Bayelsa State during the pendency of litigation. That is a lie that has been fed to the public to create the impression that the Federal agencies are biased.

    “That is the procedure and that is why we are convinced that the issue of derivation is best left for states to handle and not communities but since my counterpart from Rivers State has made it a communal affair, I believe that he will help us to tell the people of Rivers State, particularly the people of Kalabari Kingdom, who he claimed to be fighting for that the basis of our recent claim is that the government of Rivers state in the past couple of years has wrongly received about N120bn that shouldn’t have been paid to Rivers State.

    “I hope he will also tell the people of Rivers state, particularly the people of Kalabari, about the refund that was consensually agreed upon and effected in favour of Rivers state to the tune of about N15-N16bn which he got about a month ago. We feel that this matter are best left for states and other stakeholders at the Federal level to resolve in accordance with laid down rules.”