The Nation Newspaper

Tag: communities

  • Fund plans 1000 BTS for rural communities

    Fund plans 1000 BTS for rural communities

    The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) said it would build 1000 base transceiver stations (BTS) yearly in rural communities over the next five years to deepen telecoms penetration and improve service quality.

    Its Secretary, Mr Abdullahi Maikano, made this known in Lagos at a stakeholders’ forum to discuss the new operating model for the key area implementation of connectivity, which include connectivity and access to ensure sustainability of the rural access.

    Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, lamented recently that more than 40 per cent of the rural communities in the country were disenfranchised from the benefits of the telecoms revolution.

    But the USPF, which is a special fund set up by the Federal Government under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, designed to provide telecommunications and ICT services to un-served, under-served and deprived groups and communities in the country, said it will address this problem.

    Under the Fund’s Strategic Management Plan (SMP) for between the year and 2017, beginning from this year, no fewer than 1,000 BTS would be built every year to bridge the telecoms divide.

    USPF also plans to support the laying of 15, 000 kilometres (km) of optic fibre cables (OFC) with an average of 3,000km every year; and the deployment of Internet Point of Presence (PoPs) in 25 clusters within the next five years with an average of five per year under the Fund’s Rural Broadband Internet (RUBI) scheme.

    He said the SMP had been re-designed, following the review of the earlier SMP 2007-2011, which was fraught with some shortcomings, adding that to achieve the new targets; USPF will soon come up with Request for Proposal (RfP) from telecoms operators that will drive the infrastructure deployment. He said the Fund would ensure there is transparency in the bidding process.

    According to Maikano, the operating model adopted for the new SMP, which focuses on integrated approach to project strategy and execution would lead to increased participation of industry operators; ensure implementation of well-planned and adaptable projects that suits a variety of ICT schemes, ensure availability of telecoms infrastructures in unserved and underserved area, which provides a foundation for universal access, among others.

    Partner, KPMG, Mr Joseph Tegbe, listed some barriers that brought about the unsatisfactory performance of the first SMP scheme, leading to its review to produce the current one.

    According to him, while the progrrammes and projects in the SNMP 2007-2001 were well articulated, the USPF encountered some impediments in executing a number of elected projects.

    “There were too many projects. Also, projects were designed and defined using a ‘one size fits all’ approach, thus USP intervention, in some cases, did not directly address the specific needs of the beneficiaries, among others challenges,” the KPMG chief said.

     

  • ‘How peace can reign in oil communities’

    A group in the riverine area of Ondo State, Ilaje Peoples Assembly (IPA), at the weekend said it would support any plan by the state government that is geared towards ensuring equity and peaceful engagement of all Ilaje coastal communities in the state.

    This plan, according to the group, was through the recognition of all communities as equal stakeholders of its off-shore oil and gas assets.

    Besides, IPA, which is made up of Mahin/Aheri and Etikan communities, said with its size, population and age long neglect, multinational oil giant, Chevron, should pay them a sum of N55million, which was similarly paid to Ugbo community under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) meant for all Ilaje coastal communities.

    The group in a statement made available to reporters in Akure, the state capital, and said failure to effect the payment of the sum will compel its people to take ‘legitimate measures for redress’.

    The statement, which was signed by Chiefs Olu Malumi, Ebenezer Ogungbare, Akindele Temiye, Zeblon Orisamugbahin, Messers Johnson Feyijimi, Femi Amuni and Prince Monday Okunomo, reads in part, “Politically, Constituency ll accounts for not less than three-quarters of the land mass with more than two-thirds of its population. We are also strategically located as the gateway and only access to other parts of Ilaje.

    “Out of a total of 271 polling units in Ilaje local government, Constituency ll (Mahin, Aheri, Etikan) has 16.5. However, the wherewithal accorded the minority Ugbo in oil-related appointments has also ensured the area eight years in the senate as they also produced the current representative of Ilaje/Ese-Odo in the House of Representatives, a situation that has given them undue advantage in political personnel development.

    The IPA reminded the Ugbo protesters that at a time when six kingdoms of the old Ilaje/Ese-Odo local government were equally divided into two, they (Mahin, Aheri, Etikan) were not only sympathetic to their agitation of Ugbo kith and kin to return to Ilaje eventhough their assets remained forfeited forever to Ese-odo people.”

    It added that they also inherited a two-year fratricidal Ilaje/Ijaw war and used materials from the Atlantic Ocean where oil is being produced commonly for sand filling and re- reclamation of developmental efforts in Ugbo land.

    The statement added, “While Ugbo has unjustifiably dominated most appointments from Ilaje with nothing to show in terms of development of Ilaje land, some of them still embark on efforts to pull down the few non-Ugbo, but more patriotic and intellectually superior Ilaje personalities in government.

    “As the issue of the merger is yet to be resolved, Chevron in the last two weeks have yielded to the propaganda of and paid N55million only to Ugbo under a fraudulent MoU meant for all Ilaje coastal communities, but being expended on phoney contracts.”

    It would be recalled that on December 5, 2012 there was a meeting between Chevron Nigeria Limited, top government officials and leaders of Ilaje communities where it was resolved that all Ilaje communities in Ondo State should be grouped and merged under one umbrella association.

    They were also to serve as off-shore stakeholders for the purpose of engaging Chevron in its corporate social responsibilities to the communities in its offshore operations.

    Governor Olusegun Mimiko consequently set-up a Technical Committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to submit a report on modalities for sharing benefits among all Ilaje coastal communities as stakeholders.

    While the committee’s report was being awaited and the Board of the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) was yet to be re-constituted, the Commission in a letter dated April 24, reportedly introduced to Chevron, a group, Ilaje Ugbo Communities Development Committee (IOCDC) as the new merger committee purportedly ratified by the state government.

    This development has sparked protests in the oil communities of the state.

     

  • Communities want road repaired

    he people of Isuaniocha and Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have pleaded with the state government to repair the road linking them with neighbouring communities.

    Chief Godson Ezenagu, a former Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in the state, who is also from the area, made the plea in Awka in an interview with journalists

    Ezenagu expressed regrets that indigenes of the two communities were suffering untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the road.

    According to him, the people are finding it difficult to move their farm produce to major markets in other areas of the state, especially as the rainy season has set in.

    He said he and other rural dwellers had spent some amount of money to rehabilitate the road from Nkwo Mgbakwu to Isuaniocha without much success.

    Ezenagu said the one-kilometre road linking some vital institutions had been abandoned and was no longer accessible.

    The former commissioner noted that many presentations made to the state government to rehabilitate the road had not yielded the expected result.

    He appealed to Governor Peter Obi for immediate intervention, saying this would be cherished as a parting gift and legacy of his administration to the communities.

  • OPC threatens protest in oil communities

    •Over alleged neglect

    The Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) yesterday threatened to embark on a protest in the major oil fields in the coastal area of Ondo State over alleged neglect by the oil companies operating in the area.

    It slammed the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for their “lukewarm” attitude to the plight of the indigenes.

    The group frowned at the failure of the oil companies to make impact in the area and accused the NDDC and the Niger-Delta Ministry of complicity.

    A letter signed by OPC’s National Publicity Secretary, Ajayi Olusola, Coordinator in Ondo State, Comrade Alao Olutayo and the Mayegun of OPC, Williams Ayerin and sent to the Commander of the Naval Forward Operational Base (FOB), Igbokoda, accused Chevron, Exxon, Mobil and Agip oil companies of jeopardisng the future of the indigenes.

    The group urged President Goodluck Jonathan to call the management of the oil companies to order in the interest of peace.

    The statement said Ilaje Local Government, the only oil producing council in the Southwest, produces over 800,000 barrels of oil per day.

    OPC vowed to embark on a protest in the oil fields to press home its demand.

    The group accused NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry of collaborating with the oil companies at the detriment of the oil communities.

    It said Errha fields produce over 250,000 barrels of oil per day and Agip Oil, through its Abo Oil field, also produces over 150,000 barrels of oil per day without any project sited in the area by the oil companies.

    OPC said despite the huge revenue accruing to the oil companies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the oil communities, none of the indigenes has been employed by any of the oil companies.

    The statement said many communities, such as Ayetoro, Ikorigho, Odonla, Seluwa and Obenla would soon go into extinction following explorations on their lands by the oil companies.

    OPC said oil spills have occurred in the communities and the oil companies have not cleaned them up, adding that they have also failed to compensate the victims.

    “We are planning to protest at the Agbami oil field, Errha oil field, Abo oil field and other oil fields in the onshore and offshore of Ilaje waterways and this may not be in the interest of the oil communities.

     

     

     

     

  • Communities want speedy development

    About seven communities in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State have called on Governor, Abiola Ajimobi to extend social infrastructure to them to guarantee security.

    According to the communities Opete, Baale, Alagba, Baara, Ape, Abule Ilorin and Lagaye, while other communities enjoy dividends of democracy, potable water, electricity, healthcare and access roads to the outside world remain alien to thier communities.

    Some residents of Baara village told The Nation that crippling underdevelopment, poverty and insecurity have become their lot in the communities.

    A resident, who identified himself asKunle Kabiru, said the community has been under siege of armed bandits who raid houses and shoot people at will.

    The Nation’s investigations at Ilorin, Alagbaa, Opete and Lagaje communities revealed that child marriage is a constant phenomenon as children are given out in marriages for financial gains.

    It was also gathered that all the villages had no primary school conducive for learning as children are being taught under the trees by volunteer teachers. The only primary school building could be found at Baale. It was built by the African Church Missionaries in 1959. In all the communities, only one indigene has ever attained Varsity education, the student Chukwu Monday Chidozie gained admission into the University of Ibadan to study Animal Science two years ago.

    Chidozie lamented the grinding poverty that could have derailed his educational dreams: “Before I could finish my secondary education at Obaseku High School, Eruwa, and sat for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, I did a lot of farming.

    “I chose to study Animal Science in order to bring a change to farming methods in our village and be a source of encouragement to the younger ones.”.

    Chairman of Ibarapa East Local Government Area, Lanre Olaosegba, identified neglect by past administrations as responsible for the state of underdevelopment in the communities.

    Olaosegba told The Nation that his administration has embarked on various developmental projects but noted that it will come in phases as the council’s resources cannot match the work on the ground.

    “We have graded about 293 kilometers of roads in different villages of the local government and we are still working on Lagaye and Awodeji road. Also we are clearing the bush at old Ibadan road that leads to Opete and Alagbaa,” he said.

     

  • Communities decry arbitrary bills

    Residents of Oke Ira Community and its environ,in Lagos State are kicking against arbitrary issuance of estimation bills by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Ikeja Distribution Zone. The action is common in areas operating with analog meters and it has been on for the past two years . According to the residents,PHCN officials complain of shortage of staff.

    The residents through a petition signed by Hon. Babatunde Bankole, Elder Olayinka Fadahunsi (chairman of the Association) and Comrade Hamilton Olajide (Secretary) respectively, further alleged that PHCN Ikeja distribution Zone has failed to solve the problem of constant breakdown affecting NOB – OLUWA Feeder, that supply electricity to the most populated area in Oke Ira and its environs right from the back of Excellence Hotel in Aguda to the end of Power- Line in Oke Ira.

    They called on the Managing Director of NIPP Mr. James Abiodun Olotu to act quickly on the installation and commissioning of the abandoned second Oke Ira 15MVA, 11/33 KV. transformer.

     

  • Oil firm restates commitment to host communities

    SEPLAT, a joint venture partner with the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited has restated commitment to the welfare of its host communities.

    Making this pledge over the weekend was the Deputy Base Manager, Lucky Oberiuwheri.

    He spoke in Sapele during the flag off of the second phase of the company’s healthcare programme.

    According to him, “The company is very passionate about the welfare of its host communities, which is why it is always ready to develop its human capital in order to achieve necessary socio-economic development.”

    He noted further that construction of road networks in Okuovu-Ugborhren in Sapele local council which cost over N100 million among other capital projects as well as skills acquisition and capacity building to empower the youths in welding, fabrication, electrical, fashion and design, computer science, catering was part of efforts to boost socio-economic activities in the state.

    Echoing similar sentiments, Toni Kan, the Corporate Affairs Consultant to Seplat, said what the company is doing is laudable; adding that other companies operating in the communities should take a cue.

    Delta state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Local Government Projects Monitoring, Sir Jude Sinebe, while commending the company said what the company is dong is worthy of commendation as the government alone cannot do everything.

     

  • Residents rejoice as new bridge links 24 Akwa Ibom communities

    Residents rejoice as new bridge links 24 Akwa Ibom communities

    Conceived some years ago for the purpose of connecting more than 24 communitiesseparated by water for several years in Akwa Ibom State, the completion of Iwuo-AchangBridge ushers in a new life for residents, writes KAZEEM IBRAHYM

    AS Lagosians hail Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration for constructing the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, the people of Akwa Ibom State, particularly residents of Ibeno community, are also rejoicing over the construction of a 600-metre bridge by the Niger Delta Development Commission across the Qua Iboe River, using an indigenous contractor.

    Built by Viche Resources, a subsidiary of the Roudo Group, the Iwuo-Achang Bridge is meant to connect about 24 communities in two local government areas in the state, which had been separated by the river over the years. For decades, residents of the affected communities had to travel in boats with the attendant risks before the NDDC came to their rescue. Now, with the bridge in place, they have an alternative means of transacting business and relating with one another.

    The newly constructed seven-kilometre road and 600-metre bridge connect villages like Iko, Rikang, Akata, Opolom, Ikot-Enwang, Okoroutip, Iwochang with 16 other communities. The Nation investigation revealed that before the project was completed by Viche Resources, most of the contracts awarded to foreign companies in the area were abandoned because of the swampy terrain, communal restiveness and other security issues.

    Completing the project was not without some pains to the construction firm as two of its employees were abducted by kidnappers in the thick of the militancy in the Niger Delta region. But with the determination of the company’s management to end the sufferings of the people of Ibeno and open up the economy of the area, the construction of the road and bridge was pursued to a logical end.

    Speaking with our correspondent, one of the construction company’s engineers, Tony Maduka, explained that the company had to cast the beams for the bridge about five kilometres away from the project site and had to transport them with barges. According to him, the company also had to travel 40 kilometres to procure sharp sand to fill the earthwork for the road.

    Explaining some of the problems encountered while executing the project, Maduka said he gave glory to God that the company was able to deliver the project many people had thought was not possible. “It is now clear that what foreigners can do, indigenous contractors can also do it. The first day I went to the site, I was afraid because the place is a mangrove and swampy area, but I summoned courage that the job would be done.

    “We encountered a lot of challenges while doing the job because the area is swampy. During the militancy era, it was terrible because two of our engineers were kidnapped. The project was carried out by mainly Nigerians. Most Nigerians are surprised that an indigenous contractor could build such a state-of-the-art bridge. To them, such construction could only have come from Julius Berger, Gitto, RCC, Setraco and other foreign construction companies operating in Nigeria.

    “The contract has been satisfactorily completed and it is waiting to be commissioned. It is to the credit of Viche Resources and NDDC that a Nigerian company was able to undertake and complete such a challenging job while other expatriate companies given jobs in similar terrains abandoned them.”

    Corroborating Viche’s development efforts, an elder in Ibeno, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it is a shame that our own government has allowed itself to be hypnotised by the ancient argument of disparity in the expertise of local and foreign firms even in the face of glaring engineering and scientific feats of our people who end up doing the job for these foreign firms.

    His words: “Most of the major jobs awarded by the Federal Government and its agencies since independence have expatriate companies as 95 per cent beneficiaries. Most of these firms were companies with no history until they got to Nigeria. Their promoters only come to Nigeria with their brief cases, elegant words and confusing arguments.

    “The only investment they make is their hotel bills and they end up with mouth-watering contracts. They build a portfolio of resources so extensive that it guarantees them influence and authority where they should not have it. They put down enough seed money to finance the propaganda that Nigerian contractors are not competent or disciplined. It is a shame that our own government has allowed itself to be hypnotised by the ancient argument of disparity in the expertise of local and foreign firms even in the face of glaring engineering and scientific feats of our people who end up doing the job for these foreign firms.”

    Appraising the standard of the project, the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr. Christian Oboh, said encouraging local contractors to execute projects is part of the core mandate of the commission. “That is what the policy of the NDDC says because the Niger Delta area is a challenging environment. Those that must work there must have an idea of what the environment looks like. It is Nigerians who know how challenging the environment is.

    “When we came here, we realised that most of the local contractors were actually not performing because they were not being paid. I can tell you that very few Nigerian contractors would put their money because of instability or whatever happens in NDDC. We reached an agreement where we singled out that particular project and many other projects that we will put under fast track. I can tell you that I am happy Viche Nigeria didn’t fail NDDC.”

    Asked if NDDC was willing to extend the dualisation of the road so that the people of Eastern Obolo could benefit from the gesture, Oboh said there were plans by the commission to extend the road to Eastern Obolo. But he said the due procurement process must be followed.

    Oboh said: “The process of procurement must be followed. We appreciate what Viche Resources has done. But as the managing director, I do not just have the sole power to award the contract to Viche Nigeria. If I do, I would have given Viche Resources the process a long time ago. What we have done is that we are trying to provide for it in our budget.”

    The paramount ruler of Ibeno, Dr. Effiong Achianga, said the construction of the bridge had brought relief to the people. According to the monarch, there is need for government to encourage the local contractors in the construction industry so that the kind of competition the country is experiencing today in the telecommunication industry would be replicated in the construction industry.

    He said: “Viche Resources impressed me with what they have been able to achieve. I was initially skeptical about their competence, but having seen what they have done here, we are all happy.

    “I am appealing to the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta to allow Viche complete the extension of the road to Eastern Obolo and other communities within Ibeno.”

    In the mean time, the people are in joyous mood as they await the inauguration of the 600-metre Iwuo-Achang bridge.

  • Communities ‘reject’ steel firm management’s comeback

    Two communities hosting the Delta Steel Company, Ovwian and Aladja, have warned against the return of its former management team, led by Indian Steel magnate, Pramod Mittal.

    They threatened to take over the land, equipment and facilities of the plant should the government encourage the return of the “Mittal Brothers”.

    The brothers, trading under Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (GINL), were said to have lost the plant, following the cancellation of its sale in 2008 by former President Umaru Yar’Adua for alleged assets stripping.

    The community said they learned of a bid by the brothers to re-take the plant.

    Chairman of Udu Council of Chiefs, the Otota of Udu Kingdom, Sam Odibo, in a statement on behalf of 32 communities that make up Udu, said while the people were not against privatisation, they would not guarantee peace if the same characters that allegedly reduced the company to its current status show up again.

    “If for any reason the management team led by Pramod Mittal is allowed to takeover Delta Steel again, the host communities of Ovwian and Aladja will take over the entire land, including places occupied by the company’s staff quarters.

    “In short, the host communities are determined not to allow any access to the defaulting promoters of Delta Steel under any circumstances in the future,” Odibo said.

    The communities frowned at the management’s alleged lack of concern for their children and their education.

    “DSC Technical High School was regarded as the one of the best schools in the country, servicing children of the company workers as well as non workers.

    “Before Pramod Mittal took over, children of workers were paying N1,000 per term while those of non-staff paid N5,000.

    “In a shocking move, GINL increased the school fees to N25,000 and N30,000 for staff’s and non-staff’s children respectively.

    “The fees of staff’s children in the primary schools were also moved from N300 to N12,000 and from N3000 to N20,000 in the case of non-staff.”

    The communities said rather than allow GINL to return, a credible foreign or local investor with considerable experience operating in Nigeria, strong commitment and robust financial strength, should be engaged to manage Delta Steel.

     

  • Troops take over Delta communities

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta at the weekend began a partial lockdown of some communities in Delta State in continuation of the manhunt for the state’s most notorious criminal, identified as Kelvin.

    Security sources said Kelvin, who was accused of some high-profile crimes, is holed up somewhere around Isiokolo, Oviore, Kokori and Eku axis of Ethiope East Local Government.

    Over 20 checkpoints manned by armed soldiers have been erected around the communities. Military patrol teams are combing communities on the Warri-Osubi-Eku axis of the Effurun-Agbor highway.

    Troops from Sector 1 of the JTF have taken up positions at strategic locations in the area. Vehicles plying the areas are subjected to thorough security checks.

    Kelvin and his associate, simply identified as Rufus, are accused of taking part in no less than 30 crimes, including kidnap, robbery and rape, and the killing of dozens of security operatives, including five prison wardens in Warri last month.

    The police suspected Kelvin as being the brain behind the prison convoy attack, which freed Rufus, who was being taken to court from the Warri Prison, where he was awaiting trial for kidnap and robbery.

    The Sector 1 spokesperson, Capt Mohammed Abdulahi, said the Task Force would apprehend the suspect and bring him to justice.

    He said the weekend’s operation followed reports that the suspects were planning a fresh onslaught.

    “Yes, there is an ongoing military operation and the target is a criminal, who is responsible for various crimes and we are determined to bring him to justice.

    He launched an unprovoked attack on our men, killing one and injuring two.

    “In a confrontation with the gang in Agbarekpa area, we killed two of the criminals and we are intensifying patrols in the area. You will agree that the rate of kidnap and robbery has reduced since this operation started and I can assure you that we will get him (Kelvin),” he added.

    However, the operation is taking its toll on users of the Eku-Amukpe/Sapele highway, Warri-Agbor and other link roads, with traffic stretching for miles.