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Tag: Delta

  • Delta groups urge Olejeme to run for governor in 2015

    Delta groups urge Olejeme to run for governor in 2015

    As political activities gather momentum towards 2015 governorship election in Delta State, two political pressure groups, Patriotic Movement for a United Nigeria and the Urhobo National Youth Movement, have urged a philanthropist, Mrs Ngozi Olejeme to run.

    The groups made the appeal when they visited the Director-General of Olejeme’s U&I Foundation, Mr Emma Uduaghan, in Asaba, to associate themselves with the aim and objective of the foundation which has help in the creation of human capital empowerment.

    Speaking on behalf of the PDP-PMUN, State Coordinator, Mr Tony Okonji said the group is a national body with a mandate to ensure the return of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 as well as support his affirmative action in producing a female governor in 2015.

    Okonji said the visit was to pressurise Olejeme to come out and declare her intention in 2015, adding that group’s coordinator from local government areas of the state had closely monitored her activities and decided that she was the best candidate to succeed Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

    He said her support base cuts across all political parties in the state, noting that “Dr. Olejeme is the first aspirant in the history of the state who was endorsed by association of register political and opposition parties even when she has declare her intentions. Mr Okonji outline several groups that would be disappointed if Dr Mrs Olejeme delay any further before declaring her vision for 2015 as this will help set the stage for the game proper in line with the 35% affirmative action.”

    PDPPMUN Secretary, Mr John Azike said was prepared to key into the affirmative action of President Jonathan of ensuring a female governor in 2015.

    In a related development, the UNYM led by Alex Edu said the group was in the U&I Foundation Office to associate themselves with the activities and programme of the foundation as a humanitarian organization that is concern about the welfare of the less privilege as well as youth capacity building in the state.

    Edu assured that Urhobo youths would give all the needed support to the NSITF chair.

    In his response, DG of U&I Foundation, Mr Uduaghan, described Mrs Olejeme as a mother to the motherless and a philanthropist committed to the warfare of not only the youth but the aged, widows as well as the vulnerable and disable in the society.

    Uduaghan, who was represented by the Director in charge of Contact and Mobilisation, Hon. Efemini, appeal to various group calling on the chairman of the foundation to seek elective position to be patient as the time was not yet ripe for her to tell Deltans whether she will re- run in the 2015.

    He reminded the pressure groups that electoral law has a time frame within which political parties and aspirant can declare and that time is not yet ripe. He assured them that Olejeme will not disappoint all those calling on her to seek an elective position as she will surely be part of the race when the stage is set for display.

  • Court adjourns Ibori’s confiscation hearing till April

    Court adjourns Ibori’s confiscation hearing till April

    Judge Anthony Pitts of Southwark Crown court in London has adjourned the confiscation proceedings involving the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori to April 9,10 and 11 next year for the preliminary hearing.

    The proceedings against the former governor which originally started on September 16 was made inconclusive after legal arguments and submission by both the prosecution and the defence on October 7 following the request of the British Crown Prosecution for the case to be adjourned for more witnesses to be called and more evidence obtained in order for the Judge to arrive at a meaningful decision.

    At the resumed direction hearing yesterday, the crown prosecutor Sassha Wass asked the court to join Ms Onuigbo Udoamaka and Mr Bhadresh Gohil, Mr Ibori’s former solicitor, with the confiscation proceeding of Mr Ibori. Wass stating her reason for the defendants to be joined with Mr Ibori said: ‘It is convenient in this case to join Mr Ibori and Onuigbo together. It is the proper use of public money’.

    Objecting to the crown’s oral application for Ms Onuigbo and Gohil to be joined in the confiscation hearing, Mr Ibori’s lead counsel, Ivan Krolic QC, said ‘we know nothing about Mr Gohil’s case which is also still at the appeal, neither are we joined in the appeal, putting these two together in a confiscation proceeding will be a long case indeed’. On Ms Udoamaka Onuigbo, Krolic said ‘ Ms Onuigbo is a different case under different law known as POCA 2002 while James Ibori’s case is under CJA 1988 and having represented Ms Onuigbo for three years, it may be impossible to represent her if she is joined to the Ibori proceeding’.

    Giving his ruling on whether to join Bhadresh Gohil and Onuigbo to James Ibori’s confiscation hearing, Judge Anthony Pitts said ‘it seems to me the confiscation hearing be dealt with together now. It is possible to get a clearer picture….it is certainly going to help me make a sensible decision on benefits between Onuigbo and Mr Ibori….it makes sense to hear Onuigbo and Mr Ibori together and probably Gohil’.

    Adjourning the proceeding, Judge Pitts ruled that Ibori’s confiscation hearing and Udoamaka Onuigbo will now be heard together when the court resumes in April.

  • Jubilation as Delta community gets first monarch, 67 years after

    Jubilation as Delta community gets first monarch, 67 years after

    The people of Ellu Kingdom in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State were ecstatic last the weekend, as they got a monarch for the first time 67, when Othuke Murphy Urugbeze was crowned Ogwara I, Ovie of Ellu Kingdom.

    The poignant ceremony held at the Ellu Primary School playground drew dignitaries from all walks of life, illustrious sons and daughters of land from within and outside the state. Some of the guests said the ceremony was particularly symbolic because of the controversy and delay in choosing a successor to the former occupant of the stool.

    Niger Delta Report learnt that the choice of a monarch dragged on for nearly seven decades because of squabbles and debates over patrilineal succession method in the kingdom. The face-offs resulted in litigations before peace finally returned recently.

    It was gathered that there are three ruling houses in the kingdom comprising Isi, Agwa and Uwabor and the non-hereditary stool is rotational among the trio. Ogwara I, a businessman and philanthropist, is from Agwa Ruling House.

    Leading prominent people of the community to the ceremony, the President General of Ellu Community, High Prince Johnson Eniforo Akpomalue, lamented the fate of the community in those years. He said in spite of its prominent position as a major oil producing community in the area Ellu lacked the basic necessities of life and remains relatively undeveloped over the years.

    He lamented that Ellu community has not benefited from the proceeds of the oil it produces and contribution to the commonwealth of the country. He said projects embarked upon by the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had long been abandoned.

    Prince Akomalue appealed to the state government to come to their assistance by appointing their indigenes into boards of intervention agencies like Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and those of other states and Federal agencies.

    He particularly pleaded to the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan to use his office to rehabilitate, redistribute and take over the management of the Ellu water project.

    “We are aggrieved that despite the fact that Ellu kingdom is one of the major Oil Producing Communities in Isoko land with a flow station jointly owned with Ozoro Kingdom, 11 oil wells, an appreciable distance of pipeline right of way and an access road, we have not commensurately benefited from the proceeds of the oil.”

    While he expressed gratitude to the state government for its infrastructural development, particularly in Emu-Eni Grammar School, he said more still needed to be done in the science laboratory and other structures undergoing renovation.

    Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama (SAN), who performed the staff of office presentation ceremony, appealed to the new monarch to carry out his duties in a transparent manner by being open-minded and just to all.

    He commended the process leading to the coronation and presentation of staff of office to the monarch and advised the monarch not to do anything that will make his subjects doubt his ability to uphold the sanctity of their tradition.

    He urged the people of Ellu kingdom, in particular, and Deltans in general, to take advantage of the state’s micro credit programme, stressing that taking advantage of such programme will help improve the domestic capacity of the people.

    “I urge you all to key into the policy of Delta Beyond Oil; which means we must key into agriculture, industries and other areas apart from oil. I want to use this opportunity to urge all sons and daughters of Ellu Kingdom to take advantage of the various programmes of government, particularly the Delta micro credit programme, to improve on your domestic capacity,” he said.

    “I have no doubt that the institution is very significant to the Ellu people and that is why they have all been working hard to make this day come to reality and it has indeed come to reality. Your Royal Majesty, I appeal to you to discharge all your responsibilities in transparent manner by being open-minded and just to all. You are the father of all your subjects, so you should be fair to all.”

    The Deputy Governor particularly congratulated the monarch for successfully ascending the throne and filling the 67-year-old vacuum, stressing that he must imbibe democratic virtues of dialogue and consultation in dealing with his people.

    “This is a new beginning and it is particularly commendable that the process leading to the ceremony were carried out peacefully in spite of the long gap,” he said.

    Speaking in the same vein, the Transitional Committee Chairman of Isoko North LGA, Mr Samuel Idise, said his administration holds the traditional institution in high esteem because of the important role it places in the governance of the people at the grassroots. He appealed to traditional rulers to maintain their stabilising role through the promotion of peace and unity among their people and visitors.

    “As Royal Fathers of the people, I strongly advise you to steer clear of partisan politics in order to uphold the dignity of your high office in your respective domains. It is only by so doing that your fatherly role can best be appreciated and beneficial to all and sundry,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Okobaro of Ellu Kingdom, Chief Paul John Odhomor, who was one of the illustrious Ellu indigene conferred with chieftaincy title by Ogwara I has commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for taking keen interest in the transformation of the state, saying that the current step being taken by his administration to diversify the state economy through the Delta Beyond Oil initiative remains a model for other states to emulate.

    Chief Odhomor made the observation at Ellu, after His Royal Majesty Murphy Othuke Urugbezi conferred on him a chieftaincy title as the Okobaro of Ellu Kingdom.

    The new Okobaro said, “The government under the leadership of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has done very well in the development of Delta State. He had done much better than previous governments. He has brought development to the whole of Delta state. There is no local government that has not felt the impact of his three point agenda; peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development.” Chief Odhomor stated.

    He noted that with the new vision of Delta Beyond oil of the state, there was no community that has not felt the impact of his government. He called on Deltans to cooperate with the state government, emphasizing that it was the only way development could flourish in the state.

    “For you to bring government to your community, you must work and partner with government. You must not be seen criticising the government unjustifiably. You draw their attention to what you need in a very humble manner and you will be given what you want. This government is a very sensitive government and it listens to people,” he said.

    Chief Odhomor urged the people of Ellu kingdom to be peaceful and law abiding so as to attract more development to the community, saying “If you want development to come to your community, your community has to be peaceful. In an environment that is not peaceful, government cannot do anything there. So my appeal to the people is that they must see this community as the only community they have.”

     

     

  • ‘Delta North has the right to rule after Uduaghan’

    ‘Delta North has the right to rule after Uduaghan’

    Clement Ofuani, a former presidential aide, former Delta State Economic Adviser and Commissioner, Economic Planning, spoke with OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE on the ambition of the Anioma people and sundry national issues.

    What is the purpose of the Lagos platform with Prof. Ephiphany Azinge and other politicians from Delta North extraction with regard to their suspected nursing of governorship ambition come 2015?

    I will repeat what I said that day when it was my time to speak. I told them that this was a coup that they had executed because they called me up and said Prof. Ephiphany Azinge the Director-General, Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) will be giving a keynote speech at its seminar on “Political Participation as Vehicle for Economic Development of Delta State” and they would like me to be one of the co-speakers to discourse the keynote speech. I said that if Prof. Azinge is involved in an event like that, I will definitely be there because I respect his intellect and he is my friend. I think he is also friends of eventually all the participants that came and we probably just came there on the strength of that friendship and respect for his intellect. It turned out that they had invited people perceived to have certain political interest to be co- speakers. So, just looking around with our sort of political sensibility, one could eventually presume that they were attempting to organise a mini- debate before a debate. They tried to modify some of the things to say. It is about the stakeholders not about aspir-ants or candidates, which was fair because I do not know anybody who has declared his real political intentions and they made the platform open for us to share our views and perspectives on how to drive economic development in our state. Each of the stakeholders or participants provided their perspectives and their viewpoints. It was left for the audience to take away something from just listening to each and every one of us either in terms of how you spoke, the marshaling of arguments, the sense you were making and your confidence level. There was no scoresheet to determine who came first or second. That, in a nutshell, was what happened.

    But could you relate your views on your strategies to drive the economy of Delta State through the focal theme of that day?

    First of all political participation is about your voices being heard and your voices are heard when you are able to be involved in the process of selecting the policy-makers and lawmakers in your direct relationship with them so that you can influence their day-to-day thinking in terms of economic development strategy. We all know that our economy is a largely agrarian one. In terms of physical structure, we are dependent on oil. So, we needed to discuss how we can move the fiscal revenues of the state away from over-dependence on oil sales to other contributors. I pointed out to them that contrary to what many people seem to think, agriculture today contributes 42 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Unfortunately, it contributes very insignificantly to government’s revenue. The reason these things happen is that the people practising agriculture are doing so at very subsistence level. So, they end up with annual net losses on which they cannot pay taxes. Two, they suffer from post-harvest losses which again, reduces their farming revenue. Then they lack access to market. By market, we mean processing industries; a linkage between agro and agro-processing and the reason there is not enough investment in agro-processing is the infrastructural deficit; which means that if we really have to untangle these economic conundrum, we need to deal with the infrastructure deficit that will drop the cost of doing business and make our industries more profitable. The industries will, in turn, create jobs and also draw along with it the higher demand for agric produce. Therefore, the demand will lead to higher prices and higher revenues for the farmers.

    The point I am trying to make is that there is not a single silver bullet that you will say once I do this it does this. It is a whole network of inter-related policies and legal developments that a leader and policy-maker should be able to envisage; linkage that exists between the policies you are pursuing and various outcome to be able to say this is the policy that will lead to a more perfect outcome for us. It is that capacity to think through the inter-relationships of outcomes and policies that we require.

    If you are saddled with the responsibility of leading the state, what strategy will you adopt as an economic blue- print to industrialise the state?

    Judged from what I have said, it would focus on giving agriculture the premium attention it requires. But it will not come by way of increased spending on fertilisers and farm inputs and small loan to small farmers. It is going to be something that will revolve around prioritising our infrastructural development in such a way that those critical infrastructure that will make our environment more business competitive will be targeted first. They will become the growth tools that will drive every other thing that we are going to be doing. First is setting appropriate priorities and I think that I have proved that I can do that in the past. So, it is now for the people to examine whether this is the kind of future they envisaged. The greatest challenge is power. Now that power is been repositioned through the power sector road map which the Federal Government has faithfully implemented. We expect that the new challenge would be in terms of attracting much power to each state. Now it is no longer a state responsibility to provide power; it is private sector-driven. So, you have to find the appropriate incentives to drive more investment from the private sector into the power sector for your particular sector. Luckily, for us as a state, we have what it takes to attract power providers in terms of power generation and power distribution in our state and we should expect that we can drop the cost of power in our state against other competing states like Lagos. There is no reason the cost of power should be the same around the country because some people are closer to where it is produced and these are some of the things that we must do.

    Then, we also look at the strategies of concentrated industrial development that will significantly drop the cost of doing business because you have common infrastructure for them. These are just policies that you will not directly think that link to agriculture. The truth of the matter is that these things boost industrial capacity and industrial capacity drives agricultural production and that raises farming income.

    The gubernatorial position in 2015 appears to have been ceded to the Anioma Delta North people, going by the comments from the leading lights of the party in the state. Do the Anioma people have a clear strategy for clinching power?

    I will say yes they do and if you look at the choices we have made in the past that would inform that kind of answer or response. First of all, the one political party that has provided us a road map to archieving that aspiration as Anioma people is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is because power rotation is written into its constitution and so it enforces it. You observe that in 2011 election, there was no aspirant from Anioma area that ran for governor because it was expected that Delta South, having started its four-year term, will complete another four- year term under the platform of PDP and in 2015 the Anioma area will take a shot.

    Now the preponderance of view is that this is an equitable expectation of something that ought to happen for the stability of the state and for rapid economic development. This is because it will create a peaceful environment for that to take place. Now the issue will be how do you pick a particular candidate because it has got to be one person from the Anioma area to fly that flag and win the general election. Everything that is being done now is what needs to be done politically to achieve that. There is no time when a senatorial district in the last 14 years has come together to say we are presenting a consensus aspirant. Individuals will indicate interest, some will be convinced by other people that they have the potential. All of these are evaluated through a process that we have all been going through. At the end of the day, some sense will emerge of where the likely pendulum will swing and then one person will emerge. I have often heard that there will be so many aspirants of Delta North extraction as a result. It shows a lack of preparedness and ability to co-operate and co-ordinate. I will simply ask can you find out how many vied for the bye-election into the Senate in Delta Central Senatorial District on the platform of the PDP? It is the same everywhere. Individuals will have ambitions but one person will emerge from the plethora of aspirants. So, it is nothing peculiar to Delta North.

    The PDP has often been criticised for allegedly imposing unpopular candidates during its primaries. Do you share the concern that the best candidates may not emerge through this process?

    I think it will be quite wrong to accuse only the PDP of imposing candidates at any level. It is a phenomenon of a developing political system. The defunct ACN hardly even did primaries and now that they emerged into the APC, you can check what happened in the Delta Central Senatorial District bye-elections. APC did not have party, local government and ward structures and yet they produced a candidate. It is nothing peculiar. What we should seek to do is how to strengthen the workings of the internal democracies of political parties in such a way that they will produce viable candidates for the people to make their choices. First is to ensure that the general elections are largely free and fair because when this is so, any political party that imposes the wrong candidate would lose the election. So, political parties that do not want to lose an election will pick only candidates who they think will help them win an election. This decision can be taken by the party in general, by a caucus and by some leaders. This is how it will always work . Whatever process that is used to select candidates must ensure it produces visionary, viable and quality leadership at all levels.

    In the First Republic, Dennis Osadebay, an Anioma person rose to position of prominence and was Premier of that region. Do you think the present crop of Anioma have what it takes to come close to his achievements in Delta politics today?

    I thinks comparing apples to apples, it will be fair or fairer to ask do we have human capital or leaders or potential leaders in Anioma area that will provide quality leadership that would better what we have received from the other senatorial district in the present time? Osadebay was a product of a different era, a different politics, a different demography and face a different set of challenges. But as for whether we have people of the same intellectual development, with the same level of humane appeal, I think we do. We have several of them who can match him. I would urge people of Delta State to taste or to feel that we can do it. We can provide the same type of quality leadership that will drive Delta State in a direction that would make every Deltan proud.

     

  • Kokori…Troubles are not over

    Kokori…Troubles are not over

    Fresh crisis is brewing in Kokori community of Agbon Clan in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, after a militant group, the Liberation Movement of Urhobo People (LiMUP), by Kelvin Ibruvwe an alleged kidnap kingpin, abducted a prominent chief in the sub-clan.

    It was gathered that the traditional titleholder, Chief Fred Emufo, a prominent member of the community’s Okoarho-in-Council (Council of Chiefs), was abducted by the gang while returning from a meeting of the council in the palace of the Okarhoro (community head).

    It was later revealed that the group was unhappy that Emufo and other traditional titleholders had paid a visit to the Kokori monarch, HRM Mike Omeru, Ogurime-Rime Ukori 1.

    It was learnt that the visit was to appease the monarch for an attack on his palace by LiMUP members, when he was receiving members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the run-up to the October 12 Delta Central Senatorial by-election. The rampaging youths opened fire on the palace, razed several vehicles and chased away the monarch’s guest.

    Those in the palace at the time of the attack included the PDP candidate and eventual winner of the election, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo and member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chief Sunny Emeyese. The legislator was later flown abroad for treatment on the injuries he sustained in the attack.

    Consequently, some traditional chiefs and members of the sub-clan paid a visit to the monarch to denounce the attack and apologize for the unruly behavior of the youths and the entire Kokori people and dissociated themselves from the attack.

    However, Niger Delta Report gathered that a fresh twist emerged in the drama last Tuesday when armed youths suspected to be members of LiMUP ambushed and seized Chief Emufo. The victim was taken him to their hideout in one of the bushes around the community.

    A team of soldiers were immediately deployed to secure his release. But it was learnt that gang took him farther into the bush before the soldiers arrived the scene. Although one of the rifles of the fleeing gang members was retrieved by the soldiers.

    The embattled community leader, who was released four hours after, explained how he was snatched by the armed youths. He said he was taking his uncle and three other chiefs to their homes when the armed gang swooped on him around Okpe street junction of the town.

    “They ordered all of us out of the car. They took the car from me and drove it into the street while others marched me to about 4 kilometers into the bush where I was held hostage for about 4 hours.”

    He said the youths, who identified themselves as members of the militant group, lambasted him and other members of the community who went to plead for forgiveness over attack on the monarch and his visitors.

    Emufo revealed that the youths told him that the allegation made against them by the chiefs were false, adding that they were not criminals but genuinely aggrieved freedom fighters who were pressuring the government to give them employment and develop Kokori and the entire Urhobo nation.

    He said the saving grace for him was that one of the militant gang members knew him.

    “He said he knew me through my late wife, who taught him in security. He said he was educated but unhappy that he is unable to get a job and the living condition in the town was deplorable. He said he was forced to take up arm because against the government because of the situation.”

    The beleaguered chief said he was only released because he denied being on the delegation that visited and apologised to the king.

    Emufo said he was shown around the camp where over 200 members of the gang are currently hiding in the bush.

    The victim was asked to deliver a stern warning to the monarch and other members of the community and governments. He was said to have been asked to deliver a two-week ultimatum, which would expire next Wednesday, November 27.

    The latest ultimatum came on the heels of the expiration of a similar deadline issued by Oniarah and his gang on September 17 – one week before he was arrested in Port Harcourt.

    A source in the community told our reporter that the gang members are putting pressure on traditional titleholders and a section of the community to call for the release of Oniarah, who was arrested by Department of State Security (DSS).

    “They are asking the council of chief to secure the release of those who are at present arrested and detained by the security agents, including LIMUP leader Mr. Kelvin Oniara Ibruvwe or alternatively face dire consequence. Some people in the community are appealing to them to remain calm. That is why you see the semblance of peace in Kokori right now,” our source in the town said.

    In a related development, Kokori youths (Ighele) and women folk (Ewheya) also disavowed the controversial apology visit to the monarch.

    The women’s group, led by their spokespersons Madam Irerevwo Oyokoko and Mrs. Omotejehwo Onovughakpo, faulted the supplicationt to the moanrch, noting that it tend to portray the entire community as responsible for the invasion of the palace.

    They said although some members of the militant group could be from Kokori, not all indigenes of the community are members of LiMUP. While remarking that some members of the group are not from the town, they noted that for the apologizing for such unclear action was wrong and capable of passing it off as an action by the entire community.

    Madam Oyokoko posited that those who attended the meeting should have just asked for the forgiveness for their own children involved in the attack and not for the entire women folks and youths of Kokori.

    Mrs. Onovughakpor remarked that it was unbelievable that the women would be made to ask for forgiveness when they were the victims of military oppression and abuses, which resulted in their nude protest. She also decried perceived falsehood being spread in the wake of the recent insurgence in the Urhobo community.

    The women faulted claims by the monarch for claims in an interview published in NDR. The monarch took credit for facilitating the tarring of major roads and streets in the town. He also listed his achievements to include the tarring of Kokori-Eku and Kokori Ring roads in the town and annual award of scholarships to indigent students of the clan.

    However, Mrs Onovughakpor recalled that the roads were tarred by an oil company operating in the area following months-long protest by the women folk.

    “The protest led to the closure of the Erhioke flow station in our land before the company agreed to tar the road,” she added.

     

  • Delta Speaker escapes assassination

    Delta Speaker escapes assassination

    An apparent assassination attempt on Delta State Speaker, Mr. Victor Ochei, failed yesterday.

    He escaped unhurt when an explosive device went off at a public function he was attending.

    The incident happened at Obomkpa in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

    A young woman was, however, injured.

    Ochei, who was on a routine visit to his Aniocha North Constituency, had barely finished exchanging pleasantries with his supporters at the Eke Market square venue, when a loud explosion threw the crowd into pandemonium.

    An eye witness said the canon which was aimed at the Speaker’s seat was only inhibited by a row of chairs.

    It was also gathered that the projectile were wrapped in white satin materials, which made early detection difficult as the chairs and tables were also decorated in white materials.

    The victim, whose left ankle was fragmented as a result of the explosion, was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, by the Speaker’s pilot vehicle.

    She was subsequently transferred to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara for further medical attention and is said to be in a stable condition just as doctors are battling to avert amputation.

    A suspect is in police custody in connection with the incident.

     

     

  • How we are transforming tourism in Delta, by RMD

    How we are transforming tourism in Delta, by RMD

    What has been your major focus since you assumed office, sir?

    My major focus apart from performing my statutory roles has been in the area of partnership, trying to bring in as many private investors into the business because prior to now the development of tourism in Delta State has mainly been a government priority and its dwindling funds and all that, it became imperative that even from trying to propagate culture and all that, we cannot depend on government. Because of my background in the private sector, my first desire was to try and make sure that every programme I had to do here had private sector participation. In the process of doing all of that, we expanded it and found what we were looking for. It started small with small enquiry and it later blossomed into a full-fledged relationship, which has resulted in our present partnership; so, that has been our major focus and because of the intention for job creation, it becomes even more imperative to keep looking for more investors. As I speak to you now, we are looking at concessioning the entire Convention Centre with a view to not just improving the facilities because to improve the facility is one thing, to now get people to use the facility is another. I had the privilege of visiting South Africa recently; in the process of attending an exhibition, I found out the space was so well utilized. We posed the question if the investors would be interested and they were interested and to my greatest surprise, about two weeks after my trip, they sent people here. They came through Benin and today we are talking and they are going to be here for another one month. They are going to be here with more of their people to take actual measurement of the entire grounds. In fact, I am hoping that over time they would keep expanding; in fact, they actually wanted to partner us in building a cultural centre. You know we own a land that is next to the Cenotaph and one of the things that I wanted to pursue during my tenure is to have a space that integrates every arm of culture and tourism -a land where tourism board would be, the art council would be, the administrative offices would be, a place where the cultural centre would also be for performances and have a shopping complex just like what you have in the museum in Lagos , the one near City Hall , a lively space. So, I wanted our gyms to have that place not just the office of the tourism ministry but to be the real focal point of activities in Asaba, a place that never goes to bed; that’s the idea. Even if we don’t achieve that, maybe the coming administration will achieve that. So, that has been the main aim of getting the investors here because with the investors money, we can do a whole lot more than the government can commission.

    How difficult has this been?

    It’s been very difficult because the nature of tourism itself depends on the functionality of every other arm of government; so, it is only when there is complete oiling of the system; when education is working, when infrastructure is working, when health is working, when works is working, when housing and environment and when all other things are working. All of these elements have to keep coming together. So, for most times you wait apart from the direct development of the areas that nature has endowed you with or some of the very special things that we have been able to create like the Lander Brothers Anchorage,decoration or ornamentation of city roundabouts and museums and all of that for the other parts; we actually depend on how government is functioning. So, it is difficult because fund is a challenge and over and above everything else, security has been in the front burner of this country now in the last ten or so years in different areas. If it is not Boko Haram, it is agitation for the control of the oil well, piracy, militancy and so on. Nigeria has constantly grown since 9/11. We have been growing by the time the Xmas Bomber Nigerian boy was seen or caught with a device that could not detonate. Our tourism alert level rose to be at the same level with Pakistan. So, travel advisory is not in our favour in any way. I will give you an example; when we started discussions with Scarner Pfm, the first time that their expatriates came, the Asaba airport was not working then. I received them in Benin. I had to go to the army headquarters in Warri and the governor gave me clearance. So, I took some soldiers. I had police men just to be able to bring five of them to Warri. It was the demand of our visitors. The travel advisory was that they should not come. The luck I had was that I had a set of stubborn people that were also rugged; they wanted the sense of adventure. After we shipped them to Warri, we went around and they spent about eight days and they left. When they got back, one of them sent me the travel advisory that came when he had left that he should not near Nigeria that if he must come apart from Abuja and Lagos, he is not safe but he was now laughing and saying to them ‘thank you very much but I have gone and come back’. It is not all of them that would take that risk. I will give you an example of what you suffer with security. The people who were supposed to build Warri Convention Centre; one of the times they came was when there was bombing in Warri during the Vanguard Lectures. We know that it is not a Delta thing, it is a national problem but when security is threatened anywhere, the first thing that suffers is movement, not just movement of foreigners to your country but internal movement. I do not know how you would love a posting to Borno State.Each time you are talking about Nigeria and tourism, I know what we suffer. The opposition you get is how will this work? You throw it back at their faces because you are talking with investors in South Africa and they are telling me how unsafe Nigeria is and I am telling them everybody that comes to your country is robbed between the airport and his hotel. The question arises: is South Africa safer than Nigeria? That is the kind of argument you are constantly faced with. You give examples of Israel, Egypt and the Middle East that is dependent on tourism and that has not stopped tourists going to those places but once it is a developing country, everybody wants to make a mountain out of a mole hill. So, these are the challenges, they are such that once there is any major thing in or in your state, it tends to affect anything that has to do with tourism. But the comfort is that we have also come to a point where it is clear to everybody that we cannot keep relying on oil. There is a dire need to diversify; that is why the Delta State beyond Oil initiative should be commended. The major challenges have been funding and security issues.

    Despite your efforts and its cultural and natural endowments, it would appear Delta State has been unable to project itself as the preferred tourist destination in the country.

    I do not agree with you in the sense you have posed the question. For one, that of Cross River State, it is a deliberate state policy to pursue a state without oil that had started during the regime of ex-Governor Donald Duke. So, all policies are geared towards that area. What we have done here in the last six years is to redirect the efforts of government into diversification and so it is aimed purely at tourism alone. But in spite of not having done that in the sense of Cross River State, you will still find we are indeed a destination of choice in the area of conferencing in Asaba because there is relative peace and conducive environment. If you talk about an environment that has been enabled, Asaba has been enabled that is why people draw comparism. When you leave Edo State and enter Delta State, you will see a remarkable difference in terms of the layout of the town and when you cross into Onitsha, you see a remarkable difference. So, it is like an oasis smack in the middle of the desert. It just keeps drawing people to it and with the establishment of the airport, it has become a hub. Maybe we have not projected it in that sense like the Cross Rivers has done. I agree with you that perception is reality. But we are beginning to break that perception gradually. It is not something the Culture Ministry can achieve as an arm of government but the entire government in terms of policies. Delta beyond Oil has just become the present focus; we have graduated beyond our 3-Point Agenda naturally into the Delta beyond Oil, which is a bigger platform. It will come to fruition; we are incubating the Oleri Water Park , Ogwashi-Uku Wildlife Park. When they are functional, we will get to that point where we want to get to. The important thing is, are we laying certain foundation? Yes, we are. In the fullness of time, we will see come to public light.

    How significant is the Supreme Court judgment in the case between Lagos State and the Nigeria Tourism and Development Commission (NTDC)? How will it impact on revenues accruable to Delta?

    First and foremost, we do not get a lot of receipts in terms of collection from hotel registration from this part of the country because of our population. Sometimes when people compare Lagos and Delta, it is an unfair comparison, you are comparing 18 million people in a city that has been developed many decades unlike Delta State created 22 years ago. Having said that, what that judgment does is that every of our receipt is retained, boosting our IGR and being a conferencing centre, more hotels are being planned. In answering your question, part of what I did not mention is that before now we have been growing hospitality business at a small level but we have reached out to the bigger brands and so the branded hotels are coming; Hilton with development at very advanced stage, Best Western Deluxe are coming, there is a Protea in Warri but Protea is coming to Asaba. We are in discussion with some brands that I am not at liberty to divulge; so, all of those are part of it. When all of that comes in, whatever collection we make will be for us as a state as opposed to the time when 50 per cent goes to the Federal Government.

    How do you respond to critics who say the Oleri Leisure Resort may not get the required patronage and as such will not be a commercial success?

    People are entitled to their opinions; criticisms are welcome. The reason I am optimistic is that we have done our research, the investors have done their research, and the demographics are there. It is like saying will Shoprite work in Asaba? Before now, the first show I was going to do in Asaba –the first made-in-Warri show, we were very scared because you can stand in the middle of Ogboegonogo market, and you look right and left and the entire Asaba is before you. I feared where the people who will attend the show will come from. With pounding hearts, we went ahead and did the publicity and the show was to start at 7.00pm.I remember I took Ali Baba, Basket Mouth and the others to pay a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor. We were at the Deputy Governor’s place at 4.00pm, but I got a call that we must come right because the hall was too full. I could not believe it because the entire venue was jam-packed. That was how we started doing concerts in Asaba and today everyone wants to do shows in Asaba. There is a tendency for people to look at everything that has to do with government as being grandiose. What is the essence of a tourist attraction if it is not in its grandest form. A leisure resort in the Niger Delta with people with highly disposable income that is bordered by Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo even Lagos states, I do not see how anyone will doubt that people will come. A family of five can go with N1000. The way the investors have calibrated the entire project at its worst receipt of 25 per cent patronage, they will still be in business. Do you know how long it took Disney Europe to break even? It took it 10 years. And guess where the receipts came from? Nigeria. People will come if the attractions are there. People confuse the facts, it is not government money. That is why they label it grandiose. How can tourism be anything less than grandiose? How can you build anything that will not take your breath away? Which is what is about to happen at Oleri Leisure Resort. People are even saying will it be ready before 2015, but why should the project all be ready be 2015,it is not a project that is tied to the lifespan of the Uduaghan administration. It is a private sector project with government’s role clearly defined. If critics know what it takes to develop a theme park, they will know it is too late to pull out because too much has been committed to it already by the investors.

    How did you manage to pull this project through, because it is truly grand. What did you tell investors despite the advisory reports on security situations in the country?

    Nigeria has the numbers. You will use the success of MTN to prove to them that Nigeria is the place to do business despite the crime rate, poor infrastructure and all the other negatives but today we are responsible for 20 per cent of their entire income worldwide. Once we got Governor Uduaghan’s backing, the rest was easy.

     

  • Three children drown in Delta

    Three children of the same parents have drowned in a well at Owerre-Olubor community, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The Nation learnt that the children, aged between eight and 11, were playing near the well situated in their compound when it caved in.

    It was gathered that efforts by the bystanders to rescue them were unsuccessful.

    Our source said neighbours later brought a pumping machine to drain the water, but it was too late as the children had died. Sympathisers restrained the victims’ mother from jumping inside the well.

    The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Government Mortuary, Umunede.

    The owner of the well, Godwin Nwabuzor, has reported the incident to the police.

    A female hotelier (name withheld) was yesterday abducted by a gang of suspected kidnappers in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government.

    The Nation learnt that the gang stormed Ada-eke Hotel at Ishekpe quarters at about 8pm, shot into the air to scare bystanders, seized their victim and bundled her into a vehicle.

  • CAMPUSLIFE man is Delta students’ president

    Members of the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos have held their election.

    A CAMPUSLIFE correspondent, Orgu Mark, was elected president. Others included Kenneth Olisa, Vice-President; Donald Iloma, General Secretary; Juliet Oyibo, Assistant General-Secretary; Nwanji Princess, Treasurer; Michael Agbogidi, Public Relation official, Akoko Oghenekaro, Welfare Director, Orutorojo Michael, Director of Socials; Nwaezue Victor, Provost and Oghenekevwe Aggreh, Auditor General.

    Mark thanked the students for giving him the opportunity to serve, promising that members of the executive would work as a team to promote welfare of members.

    He promised to use his office to transform the association, pledging to use his experience as a students’ leader and campus journalist to bring innovative leadership to the association.

    A former staff member of Chevron, Mr Emmanuel Oyibo, who is a patron of the association, congratulated the new officers, saying that he believed in the ability of the association to improve the welfare of its members

    He charged them to fulfill their electoral promises to the students.

    The ceremony was performed by the Public Relations Officer of South-South Students’ Forum (SSSF), YABATECH Chapter, Oghenerume Ophi. He described the new leaders as resourceful, adding that the election was free and fair.

    Ophi charged members to join hands with the new leadership and work for the progress of the association.

     

  • Delta: Late arrival of materials, logistics mar bye-election

    Late arrival of materials and other logistics challenges  hampered early takeoff of Saturday’s by-election in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State.
    It was gathered that some members of the Nigeria Youth Service Corps insisted on the payment of their allowances before deployment.
    The Nation check revealed that although accreditation of voters was slated for 8:00am, it didn’t start in some units of the eight local government areas till 11am.
    Our check at Uvwie Ward 10, Unit 1 revealed that accreditation of eligible voters started at about 9:40am.
    Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama, voted  at the Ward 2, Unit 4 polling booth at 1pm.
    Utuama, who acknowledged that there was logistics challenges, said it is typical of similar exercises in the country.
    The candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) , Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, voted at Ughelli Ward 8, Unit 5.