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Tag: ijaw

  • Ijaw Chief advocates for better treatment of his people

    The Delta state government has been charged to pay better attention to the development of Ofougbene community, a peaceful enclave in Burutu council area of the state.
    Giving the charge over the weekend during a visit to the community, newly installed Justice of the Peace in Delta state, Chief Evans Etimigba, noted that Ofougbene had been peaceful and law-abiding over the years, despite all tempting indices to be unruly.
    Chief Etimigba, who is the Fungewei (Chief Scribe)  of Iduwini Kingdom, also charged the people of the community to be patient with the Dr Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration, assuring “there is light at the end of of the tunnel”.
    He described the Delta state governor as a “listening governor”, stressing that the dividends of democracy must surely get to Ofougbene under Okowa.
    Etimigba, who also used his visit to commemorate the 2018 World Peace Day, commended Ofougbene for maintaining Peace at all times, adding that the community deserved an award for being peaceful and law-abiding.
    The Ijaw chief commended Governor Okowa for maintaining peace across the state and tasked his people and the Ijaw in Delta state to massively vote and return the Okowa/Otuaro ticket in 2019.
    It would be recalled that Etimigba was among the 248 Justices of the Peace inaugurated on Thursday 20th of September 2018 at the David’s Event Centre, Asaba by the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro.
    “As we mark as world peace day, I deemed it necessary to celebrate with my people and to preach peace before them. My dear people of Ofougbene let us continue to give peace a chance as we have always done. Peace is very crucial to our existence as a people”, he said.

  • Ijaw can’t be intimidated, says Dickson

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has said nobody can intimidate the Ijaw, saying they will continue to cry out against injustice and inequality.

    A statement signed yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr Fidelis Soriwei, said Dickson spoke when he visited Ijaw National Leader, Pa Clark, in Abuja, after the police raid of his home.

    The governor insisted the raid for purported gunrunning is a failed bid to intimidate the Ijaw.

    With Dickson are Senator Ben Murray Bruce; former Minister of Water Resources Alhaji  Muktar Shagari; former Senate Chief Whip Stella Omu; former Permanent Secretary Boladei Igali; and former Minister Alabo Graham Douglas.

    Dickson hailed  Pa Clark’s leadership style, courage, firmness and commitment to the cause of the Ijaw.

    He said the Ijaw spirit remained indomitable and would not succumb to intimidation.

    Dickson said: “As you already know, you and I have been talking about this unfortunate incident. I have made it known; our utter disappointment with the action of the police, which is clearly an unnecessary and condemnable act of intimidation of the family of our leader at the age of 92.

    “We have issued statements condemning the invasion, harassment, intimidation, and called for an apology. But I thought my friends and I  should be here to pay solidarity to you, and publicly restate our condemnation of the  intimidation of a 92-year old leader of our people, and indeed one of the foremost leaders of Nigeria.

    “We know that no weapon fashioned against our leader, our people, will stand. If this was targeted to intimidate our people, it has failed. The spirit of the Ijaw nation cannot be intimidated; the Ijaw spirit is indomitable.

    “That is what you have shown and  have taught us all these years. We admire your courage, your strength of character, which personifies the indomitable spirit of our people. We know that this will not sway you. In this nation, the Ijaw spirit cannot be intimidated. The Ijaw voice will continue to be heard.”

    Dickson noted that Clark has demonstrated quality leadership, adding that he personified the indomitable spirit of the Ijaw people.

    The governor challenged the Federal Government to go after those responsible for the reprehensible slaughter of innocent Nigerians rather than the harassing innocent people.

     

     

  • Ijaw, Itsekiri youths pledge to protect Escravos-Warri dredging

    As the dredging of Escravos-Warri Port draws closer, Ijaw and Itsekiri youths have urged the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the project.

    Pledging to ensure a smooth execution, youths at the launch of sensitisation for the project at Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) in Warri, Delta State, noted that reviving the port will boost the economy of the area, state and others.

    President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Eric Omare described the economic potential of the port as capable of feeding Delta State and Niger Delta.

    The youth leader said both ethnic nationalities were determined to ensure that peace prevails in the cause of executing the project.

    He said: “The Federal Government has made efforts by awarding the contract for the Escravos Bar to Warri Port dredging. The IYC and the INYC met to say we cannot allow any crisis to hinder our growth.

    “Today, we are here to demonstrate to the world that Warri is safe for economic activities. We are here to show to the world that this port is ready for business; that all tribes are ready to accept the project.

    “The days of communal clashes are gone; the days when communities chased away companies are gone. We are to demonstrate that we all have one mind.”

    President of the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) Weyinmi Agbateyiniro also pledged that youths will protect the project “jealously”.

    He said: “We are going to jealously guard this project to its full execution. We are sensitising all communities and traditional rulers in the right of way for this project to be executed. We want to appeal to the Federal Government not to abandon this project.”

    Also, NPA’s manager in Warri, Mr. Simon Okeke, stressed the need for all communities and stakeholders to support the dredging.

    Okeke, who recalled the promise of NPA’s Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Usman, during a visit, to facilitate the dredging of the Escravos-Warri Port channel, added that it is central to the Southeast and North.

     

  • Group sensitize Ijaw, Itsekiri voters on PVC collection

    A political pressure group in Delta state, Warri Southwest Political Alliance, has advised Nigerians to ensure that they register and collect their permanent voters cards in other to participate in the next general election.

    The group made the call in Madangho (Escravos) and Oporoza in Warri South West LGA of the state, when its ‘Voters card registration and PVC collection’ sensitization campaign trained berthed at the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities respectively.

    WSWPA Coordinator, Mr. Solomon Eyione, said, “It is imperative for eligible citizens to register and have their voters’ card and exercise their democratic rights by casting their votes. Without PVC, you cannot vote in an election.”

    Eyione and other members of the group, including Deputy Coordinator and Secretary Messr Newman Ekpo and Meshack Bebenimibo respectively, also solicited support for Governor Okowa and his Deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro’s reelection for second tenure in 2019.

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    They further reaffirmed support for Chief Favour Izoukumor as the best candidate to represent Warri Southwest in the State House of Assembly in the next political dispensation.

    “The Governor and his Deputy need to consolidate the SMART Agenda, and Chief Favour Izoukumor should be given opportunity for higher representation in the State House of Assembly.

    “He has represented the Ijaws creditably as DESOPADEC Commissioner; he is bringing developmental projects to the grassroots oil bearing Communities.”

  • Ijaw in Edo seek autonomy

    Ijaw in Edo seek autonomy

    Ijaw leaders in Edo State have tabled two immediate demands before the state government to avoid a friction between the ethnic nationality and their neighbours.

    Leaders and representatives of the five Ijaw kingdoms in Edo State – Egbema, Olodiama, Furupagha, Okomu and Gbaran – presented a position paper to Governor Godwin Obaseki on the need for immediate recognition of their kings and the creation of local community development areas (LCDA) for them.

    They said these were the first steps to peace.

    The position paper, which was signed by 17 Ijaw leaders, including the pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Christopher Dime; INC’s immediate past Secretary-General, Chief Robinson Esite and the representative of Egbema Kingdom, Mr Edmund Tiemo, also called for the creation of an autonomous local government area for the Ijaw in Edo State.

    The position pare reads: “Principally, what we expect the governor of Edo State to do, in the immediate, is to recognise the five traditional rulers in the five kingdoms of the Ijaw nation in the state. That is the immediate thing that he has to do. This is within the purview of the state government; he does not need the Federal Government to do it.

    “The second one, which will bring recognition to us, is the creation of the local community development authority (LCDA), as it is done in Lagos. We are not talking of Delta State; the one of Lagos State is the one where you have elective officers: the chairman and his councillors are elected to that council and they are taken care of by the state government. It does not need extra fund from the Federal Government; it is within the purview of the state government.

    “The creation of local community development areas is within the state government’s authority. Those things are within his (governor’s) own area and we don’t disagree with him that development is required. But there are certain things about autonomy because the major problem in Edo State is caused by the fact that some people are trying to grab other people’s lands.

    “Saying that we are tenants or migrants is the core issue that has to be addressed by the recognition of the traditional rulers of these places, by the creation of local community development areas, as we have it in Lagos and Bayelsa states.

    “What we want now is not all the development they are talking about; development must be based on justice. He said they want to develop Gelegele Port. Who owns Gelegele? We should first recognise the owners. It belongs to all the Ijaw. The five Ijaw kingdoms must be included in the state’s constitution, the peres (kings) must be recognised, be on the payroll of the state government, just like the other kings.”

  •  Gas Emission: Delta Ijaw communities raise the alarm over disaster

     Gas Emission: Delta Ijaw communities raise the alarm over disaster

    Some Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu council area of Delta state have cried out to the federal and the state government to help them prevail on the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company Limited (NGPTC) to halt the gas emission that has polluted their environment since August 2017.
    The communities; Ikpokpo, Okpeleama, Otogbene, Atanba, and other communities affected by the continuous gas emission, in a statement signed by two community representatives; Edwin Odudu and Godwin Akori, said the incident, which started from August 27, 2017, had continued to negatively affect the health of the people of the communities as well as their environment.
    They further alleged that the gas company, even after being invited by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site, to determine the cause of the, had evaded the sister federal agency’s invitation and had since refused to take a step to either halt the emission or move in to take steps to ameliorate the people’s plight.
    However, when reached for reaction, the NGPTC said it was unaware of the allegations of its evasion from the community, adding that its relationship with its host communities had been very cordial.
    The statement by the community representatives said “during the festive period, especially from the 24th of December, 2017 till date, there has been a constant and massive leakage from the gas pipeline and all efforts to get the Nigerian Gas Processing and Transportation Company, owners of the facility, to stop the leakage has proved abortive.
    “The people of the communities are now living in perpetual fear of inferno with unimaginable consequences.
    “Therefore, for fear of an unfortunate inferno, the affected Gbaramatu communities have called on President Buhari, Governor Okowa of Delta State and Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to come to their aid by directing the management of the NGPTC to immediately stop the continuous emission of gas from the gas pipeline at Ikpokpo.
    “They also demand that the company sends relief materials and medical facilities to the affected communities to treat those suffering different ailments and cushion the effect of the explosion, carry out joint investigation visit and pay compensation for the victims of the gas explosion”, the communities said.
    Meanwhile, reacting to The Nation’s query during a telephone conversation in Warri yesterday, the Community Relations Officer of the NGPTC in Warri, Violin Antaih, said the company had not gotten any complaint about its alleged complacence from the communities and when asked if the company had done anything to stop the emission, he said “that part is not within my jurisdiction to speak about.
    “We have strong relationship with our host communities and if they are alleging that to you, that has not been mentioned to us from the part of the community. I’m just hearing it from you”, Antaih said.
  • Two die in rival gangs clash in Bayelsa

    Two die in rival gangs clash in Bayelsa

    Residents of Ondewari, a coastal settlement in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa have fled the area following clashes between rival gangs in which two persons were reported dead.

    Most of the residents observed the New Year in the bushes where they are hiding.

    A resident and renowned environmentalist, Mr Alagoa Morris said that the community has been deserted since the crisis commenced on December 30, 2017.

    According to him, two persons were killed last July in similar clashes.

    Morris urged relevant security agencies to intervene and restore peace to the community.

    “Our pain is that this crisis was avoidable; the community leadership had cried out to state government and drew the attention of the security agencies to the raging issues bordering on pipeline surveillance jobs at oilfields in the area but nothing happened.

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    “The situation would have been nipped in the bud, but here we are, four youths have been lost to the oil industry induced conflict that has left the community in a mourning mood.”

    According to him, efforts are on at the community level to resolve the crisis.

    Chief Peresho Erefawari, Acting Paramount Ruler of the community decried the frequent clashes by armed gangs in the area and urged the state government to halt the bloodshed.

    “The clash was caused by protest by some youths in the community who are aggrieved over their exclusion in the petroleum pipeline protection jobs in the area.

    “We have tried in vain to broker truce so that peace will prevail but to no avail,” he said.

    NAN

  • Ijaw youth factions clash over IYC leadership

    Ijaw youth factions clash over IYC leadership

    Two factions of Ijaw youths clashed yesterday over the authentic leadership of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC).

    Pereotubo Oweilami, who leads a faction, asked his counterpart, Mr. Eric Omare, to stop parading himself as president of IYC.

    In a statement by the faction’s spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, the group said the Ijaw nation as well as Ijaw youths knew Oweilami as their president.

    But Omare in a statement said: “I, Eric Omare, is the legitimate president of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide elected in accordance with the Constitution of the IYC at Burutu, Delta State on March 1. Any other person parading himself is just acting out of impunity, which must stop.”

    He said he emerged as IYC president through an election conducted at Burutu in accordance with the IYC constitution and established electoral practice and procedure.

    “I was elected on March 1 at Burutu. But on March 6, they went to Okirika to set up another electoral committee to conduct another election. My election was supervised by the former president, Udengs Eradiri.

    “When they set up another electoral committee five days after my election, I went to court to stop the election. Then, they came to court and agreed that they would not conduct another election. But in April, they held another election.

    “Within the period, they filed a case that I should not parade myself, but they didn’t follow up the case and it was struck out. The case I filed challenging their legitimacy is still in court. Who is the impostor?

    “If the case I filed against them is still in court, what is their basis for referring to me as an impostor?

    Omare said on March 15 when some former leaders and stakeholders of IYC went to Okrika in Rivers State to hold a convention and set up an electoral committee to conduct election on April 9, the tenure of the Udengs-led exco had finished.

    He said based on the constitution and following the judgment of the court, which confirmed that the three-year tenure of the Udengs-led executive expired on March 2, a new leadership was expected to take over on that date.

    “Therefore, at the time the Okrika parallel convention took place, the tenure of the Udengs-led exco had expired; hence aggrieved members of the Udengs-led exco had no power whatsoever to call for a parallel convention”.

    But Dasimaka said Omare had no right to parade himself as IYC president.

    He said: “The attention of IYC has been called to the activities of former spokesman of the council, Eric Omare, who goes about parading himself to the unsuspecting public as the president of IYC.

  • Obaseki to Ijaw: you risk two years’ jail term

    Obaseki to Ijaw: you risk two years’ jail term

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said those in Ijaw, who he referred to as fake traditional rulers, could be jailed for two years.

    He said those creating a title or any title purportedly for a monarch also risk being jailed.

    Speaking yesterday at the inauguration of Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, the governor said his administration would continue “to consult the council on a wide range of issues from time to time.”

    He noted that the inauguration of the council is in accordance with the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law No. 16 of 1979 as amended by Law No. 2 of 1993.

    Obaseki said: “Membership of this all-important council is as provided for in Section 40 (2) a-d of the Amended Law No. 2 of 1993 with the Oba of Benin, not only as chairman but the paramount traditional ruler as provided for in Section 2 of the Amended Law No. 2 of 1993.”

    He told the monarchs that his were yielding results, as internally generated revenue by councils had risen by 500 per cent.

    The governor said local governments made N150 million last month, against N30 million in November 2016.

    He assured the rulers that his administration will partner them on security, sanitation, registration of Edo citizens, mobilisation of indigenes and residents in government policies and programmes, settlement of land disputes, and agriculture, among others.

    Council Chairman Oba Ewuare II expressed disappointment at the Nigerian Embassy in Libya and the Libyan government for failing to tackle slave trade crisis in Libya.

    He said it was disappointing that it had to take a report by the Cable News Network (CNN) for government and other stakeholders to respond to the crisis.

    The monarch said the crisis could have been better managed if relevant authorities performed their roles, instead of allowing it to fester.

    He hailed the governor for his efforts at resettling and reintegrating Libyan returnees through skill acquisition programmes.

  • Flooding: Submerged Ijaw communities cry out to Govt

    Flooding: Submerged Ijaw communities cry out to Govt

    Hundreds of families in more than 20 communities in Burutu council area of Delta state have been rendered homeless by flooding.

    Many of the families in the most hit communities, it was gathered, have taken to makeshift accommodations made out of boats.

    The flood, which has become a seasonal occurrence, affected communities situated around the banks and estuaries of Ramos and Forcados Rivers, leaving most of the communities submerged.

    Giving an overview of the effect of the flooding on the communities, National President of the Delta state-based Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FOHURAC), Alaowei Cleric, said not less than 20 communities have been most affected.

    “We have dispatched our social welfare department staffers to the communities for an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas. Already we have received distress calls from our members in the affected communities that there is a great humanitarian crisis in the areas visited.

    “According to our team of field supervisors, communities grievously affected by the flood are: Eseimogbene, Ekametagbene, Oyangbene, Akparemogbene, Egolegbene, Ayakoromo, Bubougbene, Newtown, Yayorogbene, Gbekebor, Obotebe, Ekorogbene and Okrika. Others are: Ebeingbene, Ogboingbene, Ogodobiri, Okoloba, Akugbene, Enekorogha, Edegbene, Opurutiegbene, Kalafuogbene, Ebeberegbene, Ekogbene, etc all in Burutu and Bomadi LGAs.

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    “The situation is becoming so precarious in the affected communities except an urgent attention is given to them by the relevant authorities. We can’t tell what will be the fate of these people in the incoming days if no succour is given to them.

    “We therefore call on the Government of Delta State, especially the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), Red Cross Society and all developmental partners/NGOs to come to the aid of these communities.

    “We also implore the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Sen. (DR.) Ifeanyi Okowa to send an emergency response team to the affected communities to get first hand information. The Governor’s timely response will save lives that have been endangered”, Cleric said.

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