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Tag: Ifeanyi Okowa

  • Okowa swears in council chairmen, harps on punctuality

    Okowa swears in council chairmen, harps on punctuality

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Friday told the newly elected chairmen of the 25 local government areas that he would not tolerate absenteeism from work.

    The governor gave the warning at the swearing-in ceremony of the chairmen in Asaba.

    He said the development of local government areas was of great concern to his administration.

    “There is a lot of work to be done in our local council areas because we are in a very hard times.

    “Though we agree that things are improving, but there is still a lot to be done to take us to where we should be.

    “So, to that extent, the new chairmen and all those who are going to work with them should realise that it is not going to be all rosy.

    “As you resume duty, you definitely have to work with the staff and management of the local councils in the interest of the people,” Okowa said.

    He also reminded the new chairmen that priority attention should be given to payment of salaries and the security in their respective local government areas.

    Read also: Delta has highest deduction from federal accounts, says Okowa

    Okowa said: “Let me remind our new chairmen and all those who are going to work with them that security of lives and property are paramount to this administration.

    “So, I want to urge you and charge you that you take matters of security in your council areas seriously.

    “I also expect that council chairmen, vice chairmen and councilors would return to the local government areas where they preside over.

    “I would not want to have absentee council chairmen, vice chairmen or councillors in any local government in the state.”

    The 23 chairmen out of the 25 chairmen were elected on January 6 while the election of the remaining two held on Jan. 9 due to violence.

    NAN

  • Delta polls: Tuomo leaders panic over impending crisis

    Everybody knows it is the turn of Tuomo, the biggest community in Burutu Local Government Area, to produce the councillor, Godsday Orubebe still said even if it’s not the turn of his town, he will impose an unpopular wish on the people.

    The Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has been urged to quickly intervene in the brewing political crisis in Tuomo, Burutu Local Government Area, over alleged attempt to impose a councillorship candidate on the people. Addressing reporters in Warri penultimate week, Tuomo political leaders, who are also key stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), raised the alarm that ongoing political activities in Tuomo, which is Ward 5 of Burutu, were already heating up the entire council area, a situation they claimed was threatening peace.

    The elders that include the traditional ruler of Tuomo, His Royal Highness Emokpo Opukuma; former Majority Leader of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly, Prince Okpanbeni Johnny; and Barrister Dio Orubebe, said some people were trying to subvert the will of the majority for their personal interest.

    According to the elders, the PDP in the ward had held a peaceful primary election, which produced a winner, in the person of Adesefuobo Emokpo, but alleged that the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Godsday Orubebe, had been making efforts to scuttle the process by attempting to impose another aspirant as candidate.

    “This whole thing began three years ago during the last local government election when Orubebe went to tell the then governor, Uduaghan, that it was his community’s turn. After this boy (Emokpo) won the primary, we have to prevail on him to wait for the next turn, just to avert trouble.

    “Now it is another election season and we have all witnessed the process so far; first the ward leadership constituted an electoral college, which met in Mr Orubebe’s house in Ogbogbagbene, over 73 people. All the aspirants spoke at the meeting and all agreed to go through a free process.

    “Everybody knows it is the turn of Tuomo, the biggest community in Burutu Local Government Area, to produce the councillor, Godsday Orubebe still said even if it’s not the turn of his town, he will impose an unpopular wish on the people and the people said no. The state secretariat of the PDP sent a returning officer in the person of Comrade Elijah Ologeh.

    “He came to Tuomo and conducted the primary. All the people, in their thousands, queued behind Emokpo; he had 297 votes as against the 11 that Orubebe’s candidate got. Before they could call the results, we learnt that Orubebe had called the governor and lied to him that there was tension in the town and without reaching any of us, the governor directed that the primary be suspended.

    “However, they declared the results and they were submitted. It was based on the result that all the leaders of the ward endorsed the result and escorted the returning officer to Asaba to submit it. Even with all these, Orubebe still continued to pester the governor that he should be given the councillor and the governor, we learned, has agreed to this. This is unacceptable, nobody should think they can subvert the will of the people”, they said.

    Efforts to reach the former Minister for response were unsuccessful as he neither answered a call put across to him nor respond to an SMS message sent to him.

    Meanwhile, another leader from Tuomo community and the National Coordinator of the Pan-Niger Delta People’s Congress (PNDPC), Chief Mike Loyibo, has appealed to the people of the community to remain calm, assuring that proper steps were being taken to make Dr Okowa see the true situation of things, adding that the governor, being a man of justice, would let the truth prevail.

     

  • PDP governors not planning to impose national chairman – Okowa

    PDP governors not planning to impose national chairman – Okowa

    The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) National Elective Convention Committee, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday dismissed reports that governors of the PDP have attempted to impose a national chairman on the party.

    The Delta State governor said delegates for the convention from most states are known, stressing the party will ensure it gives a level playing field to all aspirants and ensure a hitch-free convention

    He also expressed optimism that the party would be more united, following its upcoming convention on December 9 and emerge a much stronger force for the 2019 presidential election.

    Governor Okowa stated these on Channels Television’s programme “Politics Today.”

    He said: “I believe that the National caretaker committee of the party is doing a lot to ensure that things are put in place, as for the national planning committee that I lead, we were inaugurated this afternoon and we have held our inaugural meeting. We do know that in any elective convention, all kinds of views do come into play but ours as a planning committee is to ensure that we deliver a convention that is credible and in which all the processes are such that will be blameless. We will deliver a free, fair and transparent primary; that is our aim.

    “For the reconciliatory process, we’ll be looking up to the party leadership to deal with that. But the major task is for us to deliver a convention that is truly credible and all can attest to. That will enable us to heal faster, and unify faster after the convention.”

    Reacting to reports that the chairman of the electoral panel, who is also the former governor of Benue State, had declared support for a candidate, he said: “I’m not aware that he has declared support for any particular candidate but even if he has any sentiments for anyone, he will not be in a position at all, on the convention day to do anything that is unjust. We are going to adopt the open secret ballot system of voting.

    “We have also put in place a credible team to ensure reconciliation of party members who may feel aggrieved going forward after the convention,” he added.

    On the defection of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Okowa said there is strength in numbers and that the party would always welcome as many persons as possible.

    “We believe that as many persons that come into the PDP is good for us because it would help to strengthen the party because politics is one that is inclusive – the more persons you get into the party, the greater the strength of the party. So we will welcome him into the party just as we will look forward to many more persons who will want to come over to join us as a family. It will be a welcome idea because it will help to strengthen us going into `2019,” he concluded.

     

     

  • Governors urge FG to increase allocation to states

    Governors urge FG to increase allocation to states

    The South-East and South-South Governors’ Forum on Monday called on the Federal Government to increase allocation to the states from the Federation Account.

    The governors made the call in a communiqué at the end of the forum’s meeting in Uyo.

    In the communiqué signed by its Chairman, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, the forum expressed concern that in spite of increase in oil price and production level, revenue accruing to states had not reflected such realities.

    “The forum therefore urges the Federal Government to ensure improved revenue allocation to the states to reflect the current realities to enable the states meet the yearnings and expectations of their people.

    “The forum also proposed that the Federal Government should relinquish all federal roads to states, where such roads are located, facilitate legislation that would ease concession of the roads,” the communiqué said.

    The governors appealed to the Federal Government to intervene urgently to improve the current state of some critical infrastructure located in the South-South and South-East.

    According to the communiqué, the forum mentioned some of the infrastructural facilities to include airports in Calabar, Enugu, Imo and Port Harcourt as well as roads located in the zones.

    The forum expressed concern over alleged shoddy approach to infrastructural development by some intervention agencies of the Federal Government operating in the regions.

    It, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to direct the agencies to liaise with state governments in the identification and execution of projects.

    It expressed belief that the approach would ensure that projects carried out by intervention agencies were in synergy with the developmental agenda of the states.

    The meeting was attended by Udom Emmanuel, Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

    Others were Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ivara Esu and Dr Nkem Okeke, both Deputy Governors of Cross River and Anambra.

    NAN

  • 300 women receive vegetable seeds, farm implements in Delta

    300 women receive vegetable seeds, farm implements in Delta

    At least 300 women in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta have been empowered with vegetable seeds and farm implements, an aide to the state governor, said on Saturday.

    Speaking in an interview in Asaba, Dr Genevieve Mordi, the Senior Special Assistant to Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa,  on International Relations, said the empowerment programme was to encourage more women to engage in agriculture, especially vegetable farming.

    Mordi said that the vision was driven by the need to instill in the people of the state the “Western-style’’ mind-set of farming.

    “The vision is also aimed at erasing the erroneous notion that some particular crops cannot do well in the state.

    “I am particularly worried that sometimes, we are at the mercies of our northern brothers for the supply of some crops and vegetables such as tomato and onion, among others.

    “These crops some of us earlier believed cannot do well in this part of the country.

    “Delta state, by divine coordination is well situated geographically and my vision is to see a Delta State where farming becomes a specialised profession as it is in the western hemisphere where farming is not just limited to supplying the food chain but also expands into agri-tourism ,’’ she said.

    According to her, Agri-tourism, hotels are built within organised farming settlement, activities such as fruit picking, customised foods, custom smoothness and juices blends by the hotel guests could be included as part of the tourism package to attract guests nationally and internationally.

    “We already have this in Aqua-culture termed as ‘point and kill’. It is just adapting same practice to fruits and vegetables.

    “This will definitely lead to job creation and increased revenue generation. We will get there one day and real soon,’’ Mordi said.

    NAN

  • 2019: PDP leaders in Delta demand legislative slot

    2019: PDP leaders in Delta demand legislative slot

    Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) leaders in northern axis of Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta say the elective position desirable to them in 2019 is House of Assembly seat.

    The leaders made this known in a communiqué released to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

    In the communiqué signed by Chief Martin Okakwu, Senior Special Assistant (Political) to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa and Mr Frank Esenwah, the leaders said that Ibusa axis of the area had occupied the legislative seat for 18 uninterrupted years, from 1999 to date.

    Besides, they said that Ibusa people had since the creation of Delta in 1991, picked all the commissioner slots allotted to the local government area, and monopolized the chairmanship of the council for that long, except in 2014.

    In addition, the leaders pointed out that the senator currently representing Delta North at the National Assembly, Mr Peter Nwaoboshi, was from Ibusa.

    They, therefore, contended that the resolve of the North-North axis of the local government area to occupy the constituency’s seat in the state’s legislature was predicated on the tenets of equity, justice and reciprocity.

    They said that Ibusa people should not take the cooperative and good mindedness of the north-north axis for granted.

    According to the communiqué, Ibusa axis needs to show resounding and deep appreciation for the political understanding and cooperation which the northern axis has given to it over the long period.

    The people urged the leadership of PDP in the state to intervene in the matter, saying that they occupied a larger part of the local government area and had more population.

    “We will not continue to play second fiddle in an area we have equal stake.

    “Over the years, we had shown tremendous understanding just for peace to reign, yet such gesture is unappreciated and has been taken for granted and perhaps, weakness,” the communiqué stated.

    The leaders said that they held Nwaoboshi in high esteem as a senator, but that he would “not begrudge our expectations that you carry us along as your immediate constituents and that none of us is seen or taken for a fool.

    “More respectfully and with stronger resolve, we reiterate our earlier position that the PDP House of Assembly ticket be reserved for the North-North axis’’.

    NAN

  • ‘Okowa perpetuating monumental fraud in Delta’

    ‘Okowa perpetuating monumental fraud in Delta’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and spokesperson for the APC Delta state Leaders Council, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has accused Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa of perpetuating monumental fraud in the state and usurping the powers of the state House of Assembly to appropriate funds for government expenditure.

    Ojougboh told newsmen in his office in Abuja that the governor has been running the state like a private enterprise since he assumed office in 2015 and challenged the governor and his team to show the world a copy of the 2016 and 2017 appropriation act approved by the state House of Assembly.

    He also accused the governor of unilaterally increase the governor’s approval limit from N50 million limit enjoyed by the Ibori and Uduagham government to N250 million without consultation with the State Executive Council.

    Ojougboh who was Deputy National Chairman to the Ali Modu Sherrif faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the governor has also failed to present the budget of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission to the State Assembly for approval for the past two years and also failing to account for the Paris Club refund.

    “We want to use this opportunity to explain to Deltans how the ongoing fraud in Delta State was structured. During the tenures of His Excellencies, James Onanefe Ibori and Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the expenditure approval limits for Governors were Fifty Million Naira (N50, 000, 000). 

    “On the 17th August 2015 immediately after inception, the Delta Government issued a circular without seeking the approval of the state Exco jerking up the Governors approval threshold from N50 Million to N250 Million. The Governor also immediately increased the threshold of the ministerial and State tender boards, but barred them from exercising their power in paragraph two after the said circular: 

    “The reviews presented above pertain only to the costs of projects in view. All other extant supportive processes for procurement will continue to apply. This includes, for instance, the requirement for MDAs to obtain the prior approval of His Excellency, the Governor, before applying the instrumentality of Ministerial Tender Boards to projects that come within their scope. Similarly, the practice of obtaining the prior approval of the State EXCO for projects in category C will continue to apply.”

    Related: ‘Okowa running State without budget’

    He said further that “the impact of this fraudulent increase in approval threshold is not lost to Deltans. The Governor then proceeded armed with this “dangerous weapon of mass destruction” to initiate the greatest fraud ever seen in the history of Nigeria. 

    “For the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years, he did not present budget details for the state budget and DESOPADEC budget. The government has failed since the 4th October 2017 till date to produce the state and DESOPADEC budgets for 2016 and 2017. 

    “The government then went for the bailout funds. Delta State Government has received N76 billion till date. The government also passed the hangover loan from the previous administrations to the Federal Government as bonds, so there are no liabilities to this present administration on previous loans. 

    “In the process, the Paris Club refund of N20 billion was paid to the Government. This again disappeared, not accounted for the list. Delta State is one of the lucky states that receives enormous monthly allocations, eg, the State received N14 billion for the month of September 2017 which was the highest in the federation. Internally generated revenue brings an additional of N10 billion monthly. 

    “Looking at the above, one can see that Delta State has no business with poverty and since the inception of the present Government, Delta has received N840 billion in allocation, loans, IGR and grants.  

    “The truth of the matter is that apart from a questionable monthly wage bill of N4 billion and with unpaid salaries and pension of up to 24 months, the government has completely mismanaged, misappropriated, misapplied and looted the state dry.  

    “With the approval threshold of N250 Million, the Government uses only four (4) memos to syphon one billion with criminal and malignant impunity.  

    “Truth they say is stranger than fiction, only yesterday the Commissioner for Finance posited that 2203 political office holders are paid N330 million naira, this again is not true. Each earns N250,000 and common sense shows that the monthly wage is N550 million. Is there any truth in this Government? 

    “It has, therefore, become necessary to call the attention of the public to the motion on the floor of the house where the Governor was purported to present 2018 budget when he had not presented the 2016 and 2017 State and DESOPDEC budgets. 

    “The practice is that as soon as a budget is presented to the house, the Speaker causes the budget breakdown to be circulated to all members. The standing Committees of the house becomes Sub-committees of the Committees of Finance and Appropriation. The various Sub-committees submit their report to the Appropriation Committee and collate them into the appropriation report. 

    “We challenge any member to present a copy of the 2016, 2017 State and DESOPADEC budgets. We also encourage members of the house to obtain copies of the 2018 budget and return to their constituencies to discuss the budget.  

    “The Delta State APC is very worried about the unfortunate destructive fraud pervading our state and hereby call on Mr President to act on our earlier letter to investigate this fraud and the Traditional Rulers and Clergy in Delta State to intervene to stop the bleeding of the State, otherwise, the consequences will be grave.  

    “The APC implore Deltans to note the sorry state of our cities and the complete darkness now enveloping the previously well-lit cities of Asaba and Warri. Poverty yawns in Delta State. 

    “We again call on the State House of Assembly to stand up to be counted. The State House of Assembly should suspend the sales of Delta line and investigate the criminal handover of our commonwealth to private individuals in Government. For us Deltans, change has come to the state and the APC is waiting to change the course of history and bring development to Delta.”

  • Annulment of N500m educational grant stirs fury in Delta

    Annulment of N500m educational grant stirs fury in Delta

    Controversy is trailing Delta State Government’s decision last week to scrap the ‘First Class Scholarship Scheme’, initiated by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

    The programme, which targeted 100 brilliant indigent students annually, is worth N5million per student, and affords first class graduate beneficiaries opportunities to continue their educational pursuits up to doctorate level in any course and country of their choice.

    But the present administration, citing paucity of fund, suspended the programme, prompting Olorogun Jaro Egbo, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress ( APC ), and other critics to call out the government. Egbo particularly  slammed the decision, and advised Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to sack his “5,321” aides to fund it.

    A terse letter dated September 27 from the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board, said the government’s decision to scrap the programme was due to “financial downturn in the state.”

    The board’s Executive Secretary, Elijah Ologe, signed the letter titled ‘To whom it may concern’, and read in part: “due to the economic situation bedeviling the state, the scheme is hereby suspended.”

    Ologe said that although the board was aware that most of the beneficiaries “solely rely on the scholarship to pay their tuitions and other fees”, government had to scrap it because the state could no longer fund it.

    The announcement has however received stern backlash from beneficiaries and the opposition in the state, with respondent accusing the governor of misplaced priorities and lack of vision.

    “Okowa stopped payment of scholarship; diverts money (instead) to the payment of 5,321 SA’s. Smart government indeed,” Egbo stated sarcastically in reference to Governor Okowa’s ‘SMART Agenda’.

    Mr Toju Gedu of the Committee of Itsekiri Social Media Advocate regretted the development, stressing, “This was another laudable programme by the Dr. E. Uduaghan administration; I have two friends who are doctorate degree holders now.”

  • ‘Okowa running Delta state without budget’

    ‘Okowa running Delta state without budget’

    The former Deputy National Chairman of Alimodu Sheriff-led faction of the People Democratic Party (PDP) who recently joined the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has accused the Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa of massive corruption and running a government without a formal budget passed by the state House of Assembly as required by law.

    Ojougoh said in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari that the Appropriation Committee of the State House of Assembly has not sited the state budget since the beginning of the year, adding that the Speaker of the House, merely signed the last page of the supposed budget without any form of estimate and submitted same to the governor who affixes figures as he wishes.

    While asking the President to order the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the Delta state government over alleged “blank 2017 budget and appropriation” for the state, challenged members of the state Assembly especially members of the Appropriation committee to show the World copy of the 2017 appropriation which they passed into law.

    He alleged that ten members of the Delta State House of Assembly informed him in confidence “of the high level of fraud that is currently ongoing in their legislative House.” 

    The letter reads: “Mr President, it is with heavy heart distress and grief that I write you this letter, Mr President; I am an Indigene of Agbor, Ika South L.G.A of Delta State, former member of the House of Representatives, former Presidential Liaison Officer to the Senate and SSA to the President, former National Vice Chairman South-South of the PDP and immediate past National Deputy Chairman of the PDP. 

    “This is to bring to your notice the hydra-headed corruption and malignant impunity that is currently dancing and celebrating in the Delta State House of Assembly.

    “Mr President, ten (10) members of the Delta State House of Assembly informed me (in strict confidence; that their names and families be protected) of the high level of fraud that is currently ongoing in their legislative House where they ply their trade as Lawmakers. According to them, they were emboldened when they learnt that I had left the PDP on 16th September 2017 and they felt the urgent need to now confide in me that I have left the PDP.

    “The very important issue at hand is that the members confessed to me that up till 3rd day of October they have not seen, sighted or read a copy of the Delta State 2017 budget.

    “The Hon. Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Sherrif Oborevwori signed only the last page of the budget and returned same to the Government; the Government then fills in the blank arbitrarily and apportions appropriation at will.

    “The Chairman of the Appropriation Committee of the Delta State House of Assembly and the entire members have not sighted the budget break down and estimates as the conventional practice, the actions of the Speaker with the active connivance of the Government amounts to the issuance of a blank 2017 budget and appropriation for Delta State.

    “Mr President, I dare any member of the Delta State House of Assembly to produce a copy of the approved budget estimate signed by the Chairman Appropriation Committee, the Clark and the Speaker, let any member display same on any website.

    “Mr President, I had the opportunity to speak with Prof. Sam Oyovbaire on issues of impunity and corruption in Delta State. For your information Prof. Sam Oyovbaire presented Dr Okowa to the Urhobo nation and Okowa was accepted by the Urhobos due to the person of Prof. Sam Oyovbaire.

    “I told Prof. Sam Oyovbaire that he has a name and integrity to protect, that he should disassociate himself from the mess going on in Delta State.   

    “I therefore in all humility call on Mr. President who is credited by the International Committee not to own a single house and bank account outside Nigeria, who won the presidential general election against an incumbent President due to your anti-corruption credentials to kindly deploy your good offices to cause a thorough investigation into the fraud currently in Delta State through the Blank Budget and appropriations issued by the Delta State House of Assembly by the anti-graft agencies.

    “Mr President, I am 58 years old, a soldier of truth, if I cannot stand to defend my people on matters of this nature and injustice, then I will not be fair to my God and conscience. It is most excruciating and painful that our hard earned State resources are being stolen in broad daylight.

    “Mr President, I humbly on behalf of the good people of Delta State plead and solicit of you to passionately cause and direct the relevant Government Agencies to investigate the above allegation against the Delta State House of Assembly.

    “I want to assure you, as the 2019 general election draws near, that over two (2) million votes are at stake in Delta State, your reward for addressing the fraud in Delta State shall be total unequivocal support for you and your Government and your Great Party the APC. Mr President, Delta State is dying. Kingly direct the EFCC, DSS, ICPC and Code of Conduct to investigate.”

  • Okowa hails Nigerian Navy for peace in Niger Delta

    Okowa hails Nigerian Navy for peace in Niger Delta

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday commended the Nigerian Navy for ensuring peace, checking piracy and securing oil facilities in the Niger Delta.

    Okowa made the commendation when he received the Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Oghara, Rear Adm. Peter Onaji, who led top officers of the Command on a familiarisation visit to Asaba.

    He charged the Navy not to relent in its efforts to protect oil and gas facilities in the region.

    “The activities of the Navy have helped to curb sea piracy and protection of national assets, especially facilities that transport crude and gas.

    “It is important that the Navy does not relax on its duties, because of the importance of having secure maritime for socio-economic activities.

    “Today, we have peace in the creeks largely due to the efficiency of the Navy in collaboration with other security agencies and stakeholders which has impacted greatly on the economy of the country,” the Governor said.

    He also commended the Chief of Naval Staff for his commitment to developing the Navy in the wake of any challenge, adding that his initiatives had been felt in Delta and the entire region.

    He charged the Navy to make its Medical facilities and Educational Institutions available to the general public while assuring that his administration would partner with it to build a secondary school in the state.

    Onaji told the governor that he was recently posted as the Commanding Officer in charge of Logistics Command, Oghara, and that his visit was to intimate him with the activities of the command.

    He thanked the governor for his administration’s numerous assistance to the Navy and other security agencies operating in the state.

    He said that the Navy would ensure the securing of the waterways and would also be available to tackle security issues as the need arose.