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Tag: Bayelsa

  • INEC distributes sensitive materials to LGAs in Bayelsa

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa State yesterday begun the distribution of sensitive materials to various Registration Area Centres (RAC) in the eight council areas of the state.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Mr. Leberi Sampson said that the commission had already procured enough boats and buses for the exercise.

    He said that INEC decided to distribute the material directly to RAC centres instead of local government headquarters to enable them get to their polling units on time.

    He said: “Buses are available and we have been evacuating the materials from here straight to RAC centres and not the LGAs because it is easier to send those materials from the RAC to the polling units.

    Read also: Different strokes for different states

    “We have also enough boats for easy access to the coastal communities and definitely it wills to various before 8am, all materials will be available to all centres.

    “I urge the electorates not to bother because is ready to conduct credible and acceptable polls”.

    On security of the voting materials, he said the security personnel were fully on ground for smooth distributions.

  • PDP to deploy 40 million members to monitor polls

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it will deploy 40 million of its members across the federation to monitor Saturday’s presidential election.

    Also, the party said it has put in place a state-of-art Parallel Voting Tabulation (PVT) system for the same purpose.

    This was disclosed at a media briefing in Abuja Wednesday by one of the party’s campaign spokespersons and chairman of the Strategy Committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Mr Osita Chidoka.

    Accordingly to Chidoka, the PVT is a scientifically proven, best practice technique, to hold election authorities accountable, particularly when there is lack of trust, and the results are highly contested.

    Commenting on the decision of the party to engage the technology, Chidoka said, “The PVT is a tool that will assure that PDP partisans accept the results of the election, and that the country remains peaceful and respectful of its differences. We are aware that other PVTs will be conducted by civil society.

    “Our methodology accounts for several different scenarios to ensure continued collation of the results in the event of any disruptions with collation process.

    “Hard copies of the signed voter tally provided to all party agents by the NEC officers, will be transported to the central command centre should future disputes need to be reconciled”.

    Also in place, according to Chidoka, is a national network of fully equipped Situation Rooms and call centres. The centres will be fed a reporting system for the PVT through the wards, to the district headquarters, to the states, up to the national tally centre.

    Read Also: PDP accuses APC of burning INEC offices

    He further stated that the system has redundancies built at all levels, in the event of internet or comms shutdown or failure or any other eventualities.

    “The scope of the effort is historic for Nigeria, and it will provide us with statistical certainty to accept or challenge the declared results”, Chidoka added.

    As part of the measures put in place to safeguard the party’s votes, the spokesman said the PDP will be deploying an unprecedented number of trained party agents to each of the 176,000 polling units across the country.

    The agents are said to have been trained in the electoral process, with the understand of their rights to be present, and fully equipped with data and SMS technologies.

    Chidoka said they will be transmitting the results as certified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) officers at the polling units in real-time.

    “The PDP has pivoted from recruiting first-time polling agents to recruiting high quality, educated individuals whose maturity and experience will help them manage and mitigate against challenges on election day.

    “Systems tests, and dry runs are being conducted to ensure our system is secure and fully integrated, from the polling unit all the way through to the party leadership”, Chidoka added.

    The main opposition party also said it has launched a nation-wide hotline for members of the public to report violence and electoral malpractices, with a multiple line inbound call centre linked to a single hotline number 097000551.

    According to Chidoka, the call centre will be able to identify issues to escalate serious concerns to both the party headquarters and other relevant authorities as appropriate.

    The party is also targeting voter bloc of 18 to 25 years of age, many of who are first time voters, with a set of 12 easy-to-follow guidelines already communicated to voters.

    Similarly, an interactive artificial intelligence message will be sent by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar as his final campaign message imploring people to come out and vote.

    The PDP said it has studied the All Progressives Congress (APC) “playbook” from the Osun governorship election, alleging attempts at voter suppression, including interference and intimidation of voters, journalists, and civil society observers.

    Chidoka continued, “Most alarmingly, the security services were deployed to discourage voter turnout in opposition strong-holds.
    The PDP is concerned that the Osun playbook could be deployed again by the government, especially in the states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Kaduna, Kano, and Rivers.

    “In response to Osun and other incidents of electoral malpractice, and in ensuring a free and fair election in Nigeria, the PDP has adopted international best practices including; establishing a robust elections results management system and our wide array of intelligence collectors and patriotic public servants who are resolute in defending the Constitution and the integrity of our electoral process.

    “We exhort all Nigerians, whoever they wish to support, to come to the polls this Saturday and cast their vote with confidence.

    “Nigerian voters should go to the polls this Saturday in record numbers, confident that the electoral process will be upheld based on our laws and our constitution.

    “We are pleased with the signing of The National Peace Accord today and look forward to all parties honoring our shared commitment.

    “We are also confident that our election officials and security services will do their duty in accordance with their oaths and obligations.

    “Particularly, we call on the Inspector General of Police whose wide international experience places him with a historic burden to ensure that security agencies strictly abide by the election code of conduct and rules of engagement.

    “Never in Nigerian electoral history has a candidate been so prepared to win the election and get Nigeria working again, as Atiku Abubakar.

    “Likewise, no Nigerian political party has been so prepared to help ensure that the will of the people will prevail through peaceful, free and fair elections.

    “The PDP is presenting some examples of our efforts, to give the Nigerian people the confidence that their vote, as expressed at the ballot box, will prevail”.

  • Polls: Displaced residents urge INEC to provide alternative voting venue

    The displaced people of Peremabiri, a coastal settlement in Bayelsa, have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to provide alternative voting venue to enable them exercise their franchise.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that hundred of the displaced persons led by their traditional ruler, Chief Progress Neverdie, submitted a petition to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Monday Udoh.

    Addressing officials at INEC’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Neverdie said that no fewer than 3,000 adults had fled Peremabiri to Yenagoa and neigbouring communities over threats to their lives my militants.

    He said that under the prevailing circumstances, it would be impossible for INEC to conduct elections in the area as the place was not conducive for political activities.

    “The reason we are here today is to bring to the attention of INEC the situation in Peremabiri, the community has been deserted following insecurity created by an ex-militant leader from Peremabiri.

    “People are not free to go about their normal businesses and because of the violence they (militants) unleash on innocent people.

    “The place is like a ghost town; we do not want to be disenfranchised on Feb. 16 and March 2 elections.

    “That is why we are here with a written request that alternative arrangements be made for my subjects to vote.

    “I am conversant with the provisions of the law to pave way for displaced persons to vote.

    “It is our hope that there is a window of opportunity for INEC to act so that my community people can exercise their civic responsibilities in the forth coming elections,” Neverdie said.

    Also, Mrs Polomi Suanaimi, the Vice Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government, said the council was making concerted efforts on the welfare of over 2,000 displaced persons currently in makeshift shelters.

    She said that both the local government and traditional institutions had resolved to wade into the crises so that the people could participate in the electoral process.

    However, Mr Lebai Samsi, Administrative Secretary of INEC in Bayelsa told members of the community, who carried placards in a protest march to the office that security was beyond the commission.

    He, therefore, urged them to report the situation to the police and other security agencies, adding that INEC relied on the law enforcement agencies to do its job of conducting elections.

    Samsi reassured that INEC remained committed to the conduct of free and fair credible polls on Feb 16 and March 2.

  • Wike receives Buhari in Port Harcourt

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Tuesday received President Muhammadu Buhari at the Nigeria Air Base airstrip in Port Harcourt.

    Wike and some members of the State Executive Council welcomed the President at about 10.17 am.

    Wike who was also accompanied by members of the Rivers State Security presented a bouquet of flowers to the President.

    The President boarded a Nigerian Air Force helicopter and left to Bayelsa State for Campaigns.

     

  • Army, Bayelsa warn youths against electoral violence

    The Nigerian Army and the Bayelsa State Government has warned youths in different parts oft he state against violence in the forthcoming elections.

    They gave the warning while speaking to a crowd of youths during a peace marathon  to douse tension following security concerns ahead of the elections.

    The Commander 16th Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Kelvin Aligbe led some officers of the command to partake in the marathon, I Run for Peace, organised by the state’s Commissioner for Youths, Udengs Eradiri.

    All the security agencies such as the Department of State Service (DSS), the police and other paramilitary agencies were involved in the race, which aimed at discouraging violence before, during and after the elections.

    Scores of physically-challenged persons, youths, government officials and residents in the state undertook the 12km marathon, which began at the Tombia roundabout Yenagoa and terminated at the Peace Park, opposite the Government House, Onopa.

    Cash awards were doled out to winners in various categories with the16th Brigade donating N200,000 to support the physically-challenged.

    Eradiri commended the military and other security agencies for support efforts of the government to ensure peace in the election period.

    Insisting that election is not war, the commissioner warned youths against engaging in acts capable of destabilizing the state in the name of election.

    He said the government of Governor Seriake Dickson had worked hard to enthrone peacenik the state and would to allow anybody to hide under elections to truncate the peace.

    Eradiri said: “This is the type of relationship that Bayelsa State is looking for. We should see security agencies as our own brother, family and friends. This run Isa contact point to reforming our society, Bayelsa.

    “There are too many drugs in the streets. We have too much of cultism. People are doing the cult as if it originated from our state. Other people use it for friendship and empowerment, but our people hide under it to kill their brothers. It must stop. Drug abuse, crimes must all stop. The government will do its bit to empower the young people and take them out of the streets.

    “So, the essence is to bring young people together to preach against violence especially in this period of the election. It is not palatable to hear that young people are dying because of elections.

    “The violence that is being caused by politicians especially politicians from Bayelsa. We must kick against it. We want to reorganise the Bayelsa society for peace through this marathon.  The result of the marathon shows that Bayelsans are ready for peaceful elections.

    “The Governor has made a lot of investment in security to ensure peace in Bayelsa. To attract investors and development, we need a peaceful Bayelsa and my ministry will continue to engage young people to bring to help them focus on peace”.

    Aligbe on his part, commended Eradiri and the state government for initiating programmes to discourage youth engagement in violence.

    He said such programmes would make the job of the military easier inter region adding that Bayelsa remained the safest state in the zone.

    He said: “As members of armed forces, we are concerned when we conduct operations, we go to communities and our internment is taken out of context. They see us as enemies. But I want to use this opportunity to tell you that the military belongs to the people.

    “Even if we have the mandate of the President, the Chief of Defence Staff and other service chiefs to come and operate in any community, we cannot succeed if we don’t have the mandate of the people on ground.

    “We want to close the gap between you and us so that we can protect you better and you make our job easier. Bayelsa is not all about the negative narrative that is going out there. Bayelsa is actually the safest state in the Southsouth. That is the truth.

    During elections, we should be calm in our communities. Give us information so that we can protect the society better”.

    The initiator of the event, Irvin Allen, said they mooted the idea following increasing criminal activities in the state.

    He thanked Eradiri for partnering with them to actualise the event and advised the people to vote instead of fighting.

    He said the event was apolitical adding that despite political ideologies, what they were interested was sustainable peace in the state.

     

  • Guber polls: South South hails military over deployment of troops to protect voters

    The South-South Coalition for Credible Leadership has described as a welcome the deployment of military troops to the region ahead of the Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections.
    The coalition said the action would further boost the confidence of electorate during the polls.
    Briefing newsmen on Thursday, Success Timothy, the Coordinator General of the group, said the deployment is necessary following the success of the troops in some south-southern states during the national assembly and presidential election on February 23.
    According to him, the presence of troops during the elections proved to be the right decision in view of the fact that acts of politically motivated violence were limited to a few instances.
    Success said the he pockets of violence witnessed in some parts of Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers state would have been more widespread but for the presence of troops.
    According to him, “Interestingly, the Niger-Delta, where political leaders clamored most against military presence for the election, recorded more of the instances of violence and ballot snatching during the exercise. It is logical that soldiers should be withdrawn from areas that were largely peaceful during the polls of two weeks ago to allow for the deployment of higher number of troops to the places that recorded violence.
    “Meanwhile, we observed that the personnel of the Nigerian Army were able to maintain peace and prevent political brigandage while adhering to acceptable rules of engagement. They fear of abuse and intimidation of the civilian population, which opponents of military deployment had used to back up their argument, turned out to unjustified as law abiding citizens had nothing to be apprehensive about. Only attackers that had intended to deprive other people of their right to life were gunned down in exchange of gunfire with troops in Rivers state.
    “

    Read Also:Gunmen attack warehouse, kill policeman in Aba

    The South- South Coalition for Credible Leadership therefore passes a vote of confidence on the Nigerian Army and its personnel. They have the capacity to support security operations in the regions towards ensuring that elections hold without citizens being afraid for their lives or worrying that their votes will not count because ballot box snatchers. Their presence in the entire Niger-Delta region will ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order by any group of persons.
    “We passed this vote of confidence cognizant of the campaign of calumny being waged against the deployment of the military for the elections. It does not take long to decipher the intent of those opposed to troops being in the Niger-Delta during this period. These people comprise of opposition political parties that lost in the presidential and National Assembly elections because they were unable to use thugs to snatch and stuff ballot boxes just as they were unable to intimidate voters.
    “The other sets of people opposed to seeing troops in the Niger-Delta are the militants and sabotage economic infrastructure in the region as well as those that have their sight set on kidnap for ransom. These are backed up by separatist elements, including those that belong to groups that the courts have outlawed. They are apparently scared that the presence of the military in the area will yield credible intelligence that can be used to dismantle their non-election related criminality.
    “It is most unfortunate that the criminal intentions of the aforementioned groups are being hidden behind the façade of ‘the opposition’ and for marshalling weak arguments against the deployment of troops to secure the country during the elections. The fake news they are peddling is that the Army is the region to favour particular candidates. This must rank among the greatest lies told so far in 2019.
    “We note the charge by the Chief if Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, to troops and commanders to do better during their deployment for Saturday’s election. Such decisive and responsive leadership has contributed to the sterling performance that the Nigerian Army displayed during the previous elections. His acknowledgement of the few instances of violence and a commitment to correct these errors is laudable for this gives the assurance that there will be improved voters’ turn out once the electorate are reassured that they are safe.”

  • Polls: Bayelsa warns against violence

    …vows to prosecute offenders

    The Bayelsa State Government Thursday warned against electoral violence and vowed to use the instrumentality of the law to punish anyone or group found to be disrupting the existing peace in the state.

    The government at its 104th Executive Council meeting said it deliberated extensively on a report before it that some politicians in the state were stockpiling arms for the purpose of causing mayhem.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Arthur Andrew Seweniowor said the government would not fold its hands and watch unscrupulous politicians turn the state into a killing field.

    He said the government would not allow what happened during the 2015 and 2016 governorship election to repeat itself, stressing that it had a constitutional mandate to protect lives and property.

    He maintained that elections were not war but a healthy contest to pick leaders and called on youths not to allow themselves to be used by selfish politicians to commit atrocities.

    Seweniowor said: “The violence that characterized the 2015 governorship election is still fresh in our minds. If you recall the government did set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the crisis that engulfed parts of the state in course of the election.

    “A white paper was later produced after the panel submitted their report. It is sad to note that those indicted in that report are still the same persons who are stockpiling arms today.

    “We want to make it clear that on no account will anyone be allowed to launch a reign of terror and brigandage. We are determined to bring anyone or group of persons found culpable to book. We call on our youths not to allow themselves to be deployed as tools for electoral violence and manipulation”.

    On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson said opposition politicians in the state were not preparing for elections but war.

    Iworiso-Markson said because the opposition was unpopular, it had resorted to creating instability and turning the state into a theatre of war.

    Read Also: 2019 polls: FG will cooperate with international observers, Says Presidency

    He appealed to parents and guardians to talk to their children to stay away from desperate politicians and their evil plots.

    According to him, rather than take up arms, they should keep their PVCs closer in order to elect responsible leaders that will bring more development to the state.

    He said: “We have said it over and over again that the opposition party in the state is not pretending about their intentions to cause violence and pave the way for the hijack of electoral materials by their hired thugs. They are preparing for war and not election.

    “These diaspora politicians have not contributed anything to the development of our state. They only come back home when there is election and because of their lack of popularity they institute violent means to get into power”.

  • Pay more to flare less? Calculating the costs of flaring gas in the oil and gas sector

    It’s been 60 years since Nigeria joined the World Oil Producers and reaped riches from its oil production. It made its first oil discovery at Oloibiri, Bayelsa in 1956. In 1958, its first oil field came on stream, producing 5,100 barrels per day. By the late sixties and early seventies, Nigeria had attained a production level of over 2 million barrels of crude oil a day.  In 2016, the country could boast of 37 billion barrels oil and gas reserve as reported by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the State’s oil company. Today, Nigeria’s crude oil production is at 2.2 million barrels per day.

    Since 1956, a good number of oil and gas companies (foreign and local) have set up shop in Nigeria. Shell Petroleum Development Company (formerly known as Shell BP) was the first oil and gas company in the country. It drilled 12,008 feet at Olobirin Well No.1 (now dried up). Today, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, ExxonMobil, Nigeria Total, Nigerian Agip Oil Company are some of the other key players in the Nigerian oil market.

    What we got from oil and gas in 15 years

    Data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) shows that companies in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria paid about $347 trillion revenue from 1999 to 2014. This amount was paid to government agencies through a variety of revenue streams such as extraordinary taxes on income, profits, and capital gains, royalties, bonuses, emission and pollution taxes, and general tax on goods and services etc.

    While extraordinary taxes on income, profits, and capital gains are paid for the sale of assets like land and properties, general taxes on goods and services are indirect taxes paid on consumption of goods and services by private individuals. Royalties, on the other hand, are paid for the exploitation of natural resources connected with land and minerals. In the oil and gas industry, royalties are pay for oil produced from a concession. he rates are set based on the location of the field. Therefore, the deeper the concession area is, the lower the applicable rate.

    Bonuses in the oil and gas industry are paid at a specific time within a project timeline. A very important one is the signature bonus. A signature bonus is paid by a concessionaire at the time an oil prospecting licence or oil mining lease is granted. Finally, emission and pollution taxes are paid for the emission of toxic particles that are devastating to our environment and harmful to health.  Oil and gas companies pay a certain amount for gas flared and oil spilled.

    In this article, because of their direct impact on host communities and the environment, we focus on the latter: emission and pollution taxes.

     

    The charts above help to identify the sources of gas flaring in Nigeria. If the assumption that the more gas an organization flares, the more emission and pollution taxes it pays is correct, the first set of companies to hold responsible for air pollution and environmental degradation in Nigeria would, of course, be Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited. These companies paid the highest taxes ($44,787,000 and $44,570,000) in 15 years. Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd (ADDAX/APDNL), Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), and Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited (MPNU) follow. How much volume of gas have these top emission and pollution taxpayers flared in 15 years? Let’s dig into data. A little arithmetic might also be needed.

    Charts E-I shows the top emission taxpayers, the amount paid in dollars and the exchange rates applicable in years covered by the data. Chart J shows the naira equivalent of the sum total of each company’s payments in those years. From the charts, it can be seen that Chevron appears to pay a little higher than Shell in naira while the converse is the case in dollars. It might therefore seem that one of these companies flares the most gas in Nigeria. However, a little more insight is required to draw any useful conclusions.

    In Nigeria, there are regulations governing gas flaring. Over time, there have been different penalty rates per 1,000 Standard Cubic Foot (scf). For example, N10 per 1,000scf was applicable in 1998-2008 while in 2009 – 2017, the government set $3.5 for every 1,000scf gas flared (although, a report by NEITI states that, up until now, the penalty hasn’t been enforced and adhered to). Going by the N10 per 1,000scf rate which was paid until 2018 when the rate was reviewed and set at $2 for 1,000scf, Shell Petroleum Development Company paid about N5.2 billion between 1999-2014. At N10 per 1,000scf rate, the company had flared a total of 520,392,266,400 scf gas. Using the same calculation model, Chevron Nigeria Limited flared 550,007,562,600 scf gas, Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Ltd flared 317,890,191,000 scf gas, Nigerian Agip Oil Company 261,554,792,800 scf and Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited flared 249,794,641,300 scf gas.

    For those not familiar with SCF, the oil equivalent of the volume of gas flared might be easier to follow: If gas were to be oil, it simply means the five top companies had spilled more than 92 million, 97 million, 56 million, 46 million, and 44 million barrels of oil from 1999 – 2014 respectively. The chart below presents a clearer picture of this data.

    Making Amends

    The facts have not gone unnoticed. In 2015, the NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited (NNPC/CNL) Joint Venture revealed its plan to reduce gas flaring by 98 percent and it announced the completion and load-out of the topside module of the SONAM Non-Associated Gas, NAG, Wellhead Platform project in 2016. Unfortunately, the positive effect of this has not really been felt nor seen.

    It was also reported that the Federal Government’s plan to end gas flaring by 2020. It also planned to introduce the “National Gas Flaring Commercialisation Programme”, an initiative that would generate about 36,000 direct jobs, 200,000 indirect jobs in the Niger Delta and ensure the redirection of the utility of gas for cooking, electricity and other industrial purposes.

    In the meantime, Nigerians continue to suffer from the health hazards of gas flaring. The ordeal and agony of residents of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states, (especially the host and neighboring communities of the oil and gas companies) are better imagined. Media reports have it that satellite images provided by the tracker located 222 of gas flaring incidents happening around 65 onshore oil wells these states.

    Respiratory problems, cardiac diseases, bronchitis (inflammation of the lungs), silicosis (lung disease contracted by inhaling impure air) skin rashes, insomnia (sleeplessness), and eye irritations are some of the frequent ailments in such communities. The residents are exposed to all kinds of airborne diseases.  Egbema and Mgbede  and many more cases were reported in the media.

    With the new law of $2 for 1000 scf gas flared, the oil companies are likely to flare less. The new penalty is aimed at discouraging gas flaring, to encourage the redirection of gas flared from waste to wealth and preserve the environment and the lives of the residents in such environments. The government might also call back the debt of companies who defaulted when the rate was at N10 and make them pay at the current rate. If this is done, the organisations involved would be made to pay heavily and as such, gas flaring would not be considered an alternative anymore.

     

  • Breaking: Sylva protests killings of APC members in Bayelsa

    Accuse police of working for PDP

     

    The Minister of State for Agriculture and a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva on Tuesday led a protest against the killings of All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the state.

    Read Also; Sylva leads protest against intimidation of APC

    Sylva, Lokpobiri and other party leaders shut down the popular Mbiama-Yenagoa Road as they marched about six kilometers to the state command of the Nigeria Police.

     

    Details later…

  • Bayelsa receives N10.7bn January allocation

    The Bayelsa State Government yesterday declared receipt of N10.7bn from the Federation Account for the month of January, 2019.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, said in a statement that the January receipt was N3bn less than N13.7bn the state received in December.”

    He said the declaration was in line with the government’s policy of transparency and accountability.

    Ebibai said that the N3bn shortfall in allocation represented a significant reduction in projected income following the plan of the government to take advantage of the dry season and the weather to ensure project execution and completion.

    The Commissioner said that the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, directed immediate payment of salaries because of his commitment to the welfare of workers in the state.

    He said: “In line with the spirit of transparency and accountability of the Restoration Government, the State Ministry Finance has declared receipt ofN10.7b as allocation for January 2019.

    “The January receipt is lower than the N13.7b of December 2018 with a shortfall of about N3b which is very significant for a State and Government focused on taking advantage of the dry weather for completion of strategic projects.”