The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger-Delta

  • ‘We seek justice for British missionary killed in Niger Delta’

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, yesterday, appealed to security agencies to fish out those who killed a British missionary and humanitarian worker, Ian Squire.

    Squire, one of four missionaries kidnapped by suspected militants on October 13, was killed by his abductors, who set the three victims free on November 6.

    But Secretary-General of IYC Mr. Alfred Kemepadei condemned the killing and urged security agencies and the government to ensure justice for Squire.

    Kemepadei said the IYC would collaborate with law enforcement agencies to unmask those behind the crime.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the IYC man extolled the virtues of Squire and his humanitarian activities.

    He urged other humanitarian workers and investors not to judge the region by the ugly incident, which he said was not peculiar to Niger Delta.

    He insisted that all ethnic nationalities, including the Ijaw making up Niger Delta, promote peace and love.

    Kemepadei said: “For us in the IYC, it is a shame. This is not something we condone. We want these criminal elements smoked out of Niger Delta. We condemn it and we will collaborate with security agencies  to ensure this crime is nipped in the bud and does not repeat itself.

    “We want to appeal to the international community not to judge this environment by that single incident. Incidences as this are not peculiar to our region, they happen everywhere. The kind of work Squire was doing in our region was commendable.

    “But beyond that charity work, violence of any kind and killing are despicable because they do not promote this region. Niger Delta, by our culture and nature, is a peaceful region and we want to maintain the peace.

    “We don’t want any kind of violence here. We don’t want it meted out to a Briton,  a charity worker, a worker in a construction company or even an ordinary citizen. We don’t want such things here.

    “This incident should not affect humanitarians and investors who want to come to our region. Criminal activities happen everywhere and that is why we condemn it everywhere too.

    “Would you say that because of the London bombing, people should not go to London to invest or because of the Boston bombing, people should not go there to invest?

    “Or would you say because of the recent incident in France, people should should not go there again? These are inductive fallacies blown out of proportion to discredit this region”.

  • Agip tackles restiveness in Niger Delta with Green River Project

    Agip tackles restiveness in Niger Delta with Green River Project

    The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), has acquired a farm in Bayelsa State to train youths, women and local farmers in the Niger Delta on agriculture as part of its efforts to stop restiveness in the region.

    The oil giant also provided over 5000 poultry birds, 17,000 plantain suckers 100 banana suckers, 2,500 bundles of cassava stems, over 500 pineapple suckers and 350kg maize seeds to farmers in the region within the year.

    The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, NAOC, Massimo Insulla, said at the weekend that the agricultural initiatives were all part of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, at the company’s 21st Farmers’ Day celebration, Insulla said over 2,000 yam seeds and 850,000 fingerlings were also distributed to farmers.

    He said the multinational in partnership with its joint ventures trained about 300 youths in agro-skills acquisition programme adding that NAOC inaugurated a 10-hectare plant propagation centre in Kwale, Delta State.

    “To further strengthen and sustain the future of Niger Delta, Eni companies in Nigeria have embarked on training of over 1000 vendors in capacity Development initiatives through our various programmes.

    “We have commitment to the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) to provide one year specialist subsea engineering training for 10 NCDMB nominated engineers.

    “We have subsisting Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with Standard IBTC, Zenith Bank, and UBA for provision of credit facilities to our vendors at favorable rates”, he said.

    He said the annual Farmers’ Day is a project of the company and its joint venture partners designed to celebrate the achievements of farmers over the last planting season.

    Insulla, who said the celebration was being hosted for a second time in Bayelsa added that in the past 30 years, the project remained a prime source of employment and improvement of standard of living for various communities.

    He said the project served as a tool for sustainable development and food sufficiency, insisting that the annual project offered the platform to individual farmers and various cooperative societies to come together to showcase their products, produces and services.

    He said that the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘GRP: Actively leading the future of the Niger Delta’, was chosen to highlight the contributions and preparedness of Agip JV scheme to support the development of the communities.

    He said such development would come from boosting the capacity of the communities through training, extension services, technological support and knowledge transfer.

    In his welcome remarks, the General Manager, District, Marco Rotondi, said the GRP which started in 1986 has been visionary and pioneering.

    He said that in the next 30years, Nigeria would be the third largest country by population after China and India and there was the need to rethink how the country treats and distributes her resources.

    Rotondo said: ”Access to food will be extremely crucial. In addition, Nigeria has the impelling need to diversify its economy, which is solely relying on oil and gas.

    ”It is easy to understand focus and drive to make farming very attractive and accessible and to encourage the youth and especially the women to embrace a modern and mechanised agriculture.”

    The host Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson insisted that the only route to achieve prosperity in the country was self-reliance on agriculture instead of total dependence on oil and gas.

    Dickson, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.), urged the people to embrace the emergence of agricultural revolution to achieve sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

    He said: ”I was very impressed with what I saw here because it is in line with what Bayelsa State, particularly in this time of oil infiltration that is taking place right from onset that Bayelsa must think beyond oil.

    ”With this, I state that there is no other way to go in this country today. The only route to go to prosperity, self-reliance is farming.

    ”These actions by Agip, not only to get our farmers empowered but also trained is very commendable and I urge you to continue with it. A good head with a good heart is what we need to move forward.

    ”Thankfully, Agip has a good head and heart and thus they gave to us. They have assisted in training and also empowering our young and old men and women who were once focused on oil as the only source of living and I am certain that they are benefitting from it today.

    ”I implore you all to embrace the emergence of agricultural revolution. We have the farms for it and the mechanized aspect has been inculcated in them.”

  • NDDC tenure extension row unsettles Niger Delta

    NDDC tenure extension row unsettles Niger Delta

    The proposed extension of tenure for the current board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has created tension in the Niger Delta.

    Activists and lawyers, at the weekend, protested this move.

    In an open letter, the activists called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop “setting a bad precedent” by intervening in the matter to ensure the right thing is done in the interest of peace.

    They urged the President to investigate the tenure elongation controversy, alleging that the ongoing plot was motivated by bribery.

    The aggrieved stakeholders, under the aegis of Constitutional Rights and Peoples Development Advocacy Initiative (CRAI), described the attempt as criminal, illegal, offensive and satanic.

    According to them, the development was anathema to peace and development in the Niger Delta, as well as the harmonious co-existence of all ethnic nationalities in the nine oil-producing states.

    The letter reads: “The so-called extension is morally wrong and does not stand on any legal high ground. It is said that the elongation coup originated through a legal memo by Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

    “This exercise is offensive and contrary to the extant and explicit provisions of the relevant sections of the NDDC Act. Section 4 of the act provides for the rotation of chairmanship of the board as between ‘member states.

    “In the 16 years of the NDDC, Section 4 and 5 (2) had always applied. When the commission was established in 2000, Godwin Omene, from Delta State, was the Managing Director; Omene had hitches and left, and Emmanuel Agwariavwodo completed his tenure. He did not start a new term as the current Managing Director, Nsima Ekere, is seeking to procure from the black market. What a misnomer?”

    The activists faulted a letter by the Permanent Secretary in Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dayo Apata, that the current board was a new one and was not inaugurated to compete the term of the dissolved board.

    They said: “We disagree with the position of the SGF; the argument is lame and a complete aberration. Please, we ask that you kindly refer to history of the board, which shows the pattern of succession for the completion of four-year tenure between two substantive boards.

    “This fraud should not be allowed to stay a day longer because of the consequences it would bequeath on the region. The peaceful co-existence among tribes and ethnic nationalities would be shaken to its foundation and replaced by mistrust and mutual suspicion – an invitation to chaos.”

  • ‘Rein in Niger Delta Avengers’

    ‘Rein in Niger Delta Avengers’

    A socio-political group in Akwa Ibom, One for Change Initiative, has called on ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and other Niger Delta leaders, to dissuade the Niger Delta Avengers from blowing up oil pipelines.

    The group, in a statement at the weekend, urged Jonathan, Chief Edwin Clark, Obong Victor Attah and others, to engage the militant group in peace talks.

    The National President, Prof Etok Ekanem, said leaders of the region have a role to play in preventing the militant group from sabotaging the lofty programmes and projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Etok hoped that the 2018 budget would address key infrastructural needs of the country, especially with the allocation of N300 billion for construction and rehabilitation of strategic roads in the country.

    His words: “We want to specifically thank Mr. President for his commitment towards the implementation of the East-West Road, with the provision of about N17.32 billion in the 2018 estimates, to complement the work of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    “We, therefore, call on Niger Delta Avengers to drop their threat and give peace a chance.

    “We also call on former President Goodluck Jonathan, and other Niger Delta leaders, to impress it upon the Avengers to let peace be for the progress of the region and the country at large.”

  • Buhari seeks maximum benefits for Niger Delta, says Presidency

    Buhari seeks maximum benefits for Niger Delta, says Presidency

    The Presidency on Sunday said that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is working hard to ensure that the people of the Niger Delta region benefit maximally from the wealth of their land in line with its New Vision for the Niger Delta (#NDNewVision).

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said that so far, the Buhari administration has also taken actions to underscore its commitment to the people of the region.

    Releasing the Fact Sheet on Buhari Administration’s Niger Delta New Vision, he said that the new efforts by the government include: “Increased Budgetary Allocation to Niger Delta Ministry and NDDC,  Take-off of Maritime University in Delta State,   Commencement of Ogoni Clean-up,  Investments in Infrastructure: Bonny-Bodo Road and Ibaka Deep Sea Port

    “Approval for establishment of Export Processing Zone in Delta State, Approval for establishment of Modular Refineries and the Presidential Amnesty Programme.”
    On the increased budgetary allocation, he said said that N71.20 billion was allocated in the 2018 Budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission while N53.89 billion was allocated in the 2018 Budget for the Ministry of Niger Delta, up from the N34.20 billion provided in 2017

    For the Maritime University, Delta State, he said :”The new Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, has now commenced operations, inviting job applications for academic staff.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari administration recently approved an increase in the take-off grant from the N2bn earlier announced to N5bn. This sum was included in the 2018 budget presented to the National Assembly earlier this week, under the Federal Ministry of Education allocation.

    “Academic activities are expected to start in the University soon following the completion of the hiring process for professors, readers, senior lecturers, lecturers, assistant, assistant lecturers and graduate assistants to teach in the faculties of Science, Maritime Transportation, Maritime Engineering and Technology, Maritime Environmental Management and General Studies.

    “The take-off of the Maritime University was one of the major requests tabled before the Federal Government when the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, went on a series of tour to all the Niger Delta states during the year, following President Buhari’s meeting with leaders of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) last November.” he said

    On Ogoni Clean-up, he said :”In June 2016, the Buhari administration started the implementation of the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland devastated by decades of oil spills.

    “An Inter-Ministerial committee on Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) (under the Federal Ministry of Environment) was established.

    “HYPREP has since set up structures in place for the final take off of clean-up and restoration of the region devastated by oil spills. This shows the commitment of the FG to restore the region.

    “8 Companies engaged to conduct Demonstration Clean-up Exercises in the 4 Local Government Areas of Ogoni Land, to enable HYPREP select the best and most suitable technology for the remediation work. These Demonstrations were recently concluded; the results are being studied by the Governing Council of the Ogoni Clean-up Project.

    “HYPREP has also trained 15 indigenous Ogoni scientists on environmental assessment remediation.

    “HYPREP assessed existing water facilities in Ogoni land in line with the UNEP recommendation report that potable water be provided for Ogoni following pollution of water sources in region by oil spills.

    “Health impact assessment study to be done to ascertain whether there is a link between some disease patterns and oil pollution in the affected communities.”

    According to him, bids have been invited for consultancy on provision of water, health study and environmental remediation.

    On other infrastructure in the region, he said “The Federal Government has budgeted N1 billion towards the development of Ibaka seaport in Akwa Ibom.

    “The N120 billion Bonny-Bodo road project was flagged-off in October 2017 by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. The 34-kilometre road project, linking Bonny Island to the mainland was first mooted about 40 years ago.

    “The Bonny-Bodo bridge and road project is a Public Private Partnership arrangement jointly funded by Nigeria LNG and the Federal Government, in which the Federal Government and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG) will each bear 50 percent of the N120.6 billion that it will cost to complete the project.

    “When completed, the 34-kilometres road would connect several major communities in the Niger Delta region and boost socio-economic development and improve the lives of people in the Niger Delta region.

    For the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), he said that the Federal Government approved the establishment of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) comprising the Gas City Project at Ogidigben, and the Deep Seaport in Gbaramatu, Warri South-West local government area, Delta State.

    When fully operational, he said, that the projects are expected to boost socio-economic activities and improve the security landscape of the Niger Delta region.

    On Modular Refineries, he said : “The objectives of establishing modular refineries in the Niger Delta region include the following: to create a robust domestic refining sector necessary to meet and exceed the full capacity of national demand, address the proliferation of illegal refineries in the Niger Delta, and attendant environmental degradation, and to provide jobs for unemployed youths in the region.

    “13 out of 35 applications have reached what is known as the LTC (License to Construct) stage.

    “Two out of these 13 refineries are almost ready for shipment. Consideration for Customs duty waiver and some form of tax holiday also underway.”

    He said that the Government is also working with Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF), Bank of Industry (BOI), AfrExim Bank, and Nigerian Content Development Management Board to address the issue of lack of financial capacity on the part of the local partners (Local partners are expected to come up with a minimum of 15% of cost as counterpart funding).

    On the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP): he said “The Presidential Amnesty Programme engages ex-militants and youths from the impacted communities in formal education, vocational skills acquisition and empowerment schemes.

    “The 2018 budgetary allocation for the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme is N65 billion.

    “21,615 beneficiaries have so far been trained, out of which 4,079 have been empowered.

    “PAP has empowered 4,079 ex-militants through the establishment of businesses such as agriculture (cluster farms). 3,237 ex-militants are in various stages of Vocational Training and University Scholarship Programmes.

    “The Amnesty Office has initiated the training of 10,000 beneficiaries in modern agriculture and established them into 10,000-hectare cluster farms in the nine (9) Niger Delta States.

    “PAP modern agricultural schemes are projected to create 80,000 new jobs in three years.” he added

  • PIND holds forum on Niger Delta

    The sixth edition of Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF) 2017 with the theme “The future in our hands: A state-led framework for planning and development in the Niger Delta” holds on November 14.

    It is organised by Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) in collaboration with Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE)

    PIND’s Knowledge Manager, Chichi Nnoham-Onyejekwe, in a statement explained the forum will deliberate on collaboration with state and non-state actors on methodologies for long-term planning and implementation of domestic resource mobilisation and inclusive growth in the region.

    The forum, which enjoys the support of USAID’s Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE), will offer opportunity for participants to frame and influence the discourse, hold consultations and research.

    Executive Director of PIND, Dr. Dara Akala, according to Nnoham-Onyekekwe, stated recession has given the region an opportunity to look beyond oil.

  • Avengers: Gbaramatu Monarch warns militants to stay off his kingdom

    Avengers: Gbaramatu Monarch warns militants to stay off his kingdom

    …Say Kingdom not at war with Nigeria

     

    The king of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Pere Williams Ogoba,Oboro II, has warned operatives of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and all those aiming to attack oil pipelines, to stay off his kingdom.

    The monarch, who spoke through the spokesman of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, also advised the
    federal government to rein the nation’s military in and call them off his area as his kingdom is not at war with the Nigerian state.

    The warning against the Avengers and all vandals of the nation’s critical facilities came on the heels of fresh apprehension in Gbaramatu over recent deployment of military hardware in the area, including gunboats and military aircrafts.

    Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West council area of Delta state has been the Avengers’ theatre of operations since it commenced its
    campaigns against the nation’s oil and gas industry in 2016, destroying several key assets, which severely affected the nation’s oil output.

    But in a statement obtained by The Nation in Warri yesterday, the monarch absolved his kingdom and his people from any connection with
    the dreaded militant group, adding that the group is not welcomed in any part of the kingdom.

    The statement said the monarch had given orders to all chairmen of communities in the kingdom to watch out for strangers or indigenes
    seen close to pipelines in the kingdom, hold such and hand over to security agents.

    “We want to also warn criminals that will want to use the present threat situation to cause confusion in the Gbaramatu kingdom. We
    announce to you that anybody that is caught getting close to pipelines with the purpose of vandalizing pipes will severely dealt with by the
    Gbaramatu kingdom.

    Read: Tension in Gbaramatu as military deploy aircrafts, gunboats

    “The monarch has directed that all chairmen in the kingdom should be vigilant, if they are any person that they don’t know in the kingdom
    or should they see any son of the kingdom that is about carrying out nefarious activities as it affects government facilities should be
    apprehended and handed over to security agents.

    “We don’t support the behaviour of the Avengers to wreck havoc on oil facilities, at the same time, we want to plead with the federal
    government and its agents, especially the military and the navy, please let’s give peace a chance.

    “We are not and we don’t want to be Avengers. We are not in support of the Avengers. All we say is that we want development. Things that the federal government has promised like the Ogoni cleanup, the EPZ project, the maritime university, the Omadino, Okerenkoko, Escravos
    roads and all that the federal government has said they are going to do, let them fast track them. If they do these things, nobody will
    have any opportunity to say want to do anything.

    “I think the inaction of some agencies of the government is the reason why people have opportunity to say they want to protest, but to the
    protesters we continue to plead with your conscience, sheathe the sword, that is not the right way to go. If you destroy all the
    facilities in the Niger Delta, we will suffer for it, we will be the losers, we don’t need to destroy government facilities for government
    to listen to us. Let’s sit down and talk, to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. I repeat, we are not at war with the federal government

    “Criminals who want to use the present situation to cause an unpleasant situation in Gbaramatu kingdom should leave Gbaramatu
    kingdom alone. Should we get any information that anybody wants to get close to government facilities, our youths are on the lookout, we will deal with such people. The traditional ruler has given directives to the community chairman to ensure that this direct

     

     

  • Ita-Giwa urges N/Delta youths to drop arms

    Ita-Giwa urges N/Delta youths to drop arms

    Former Presidential Adviser, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, has appealed to youths of the Niger Delta not to take to arms, but to remain patient and dialogue with the Federal Government to seek the development of the region.

    “I am appealing to the youths of the Niger Delta to be patient. We all appreciate the sufferings of the Niger Deltans including the people of Bakassi, but in the name of God, I am appealing for patience and dialogue as one of the mothers of the region,” she said to The Nation yesterday.

    The Bakassi leader urged the leadership of the Niger Delta to call for an all-inclusive emergency summit, for all groups and interests in the region to come together and speak with one voice to bring development.

    She also called on the Federal Government to show good faith by implementing the 16-point development agenda presented to it by the region, as well as offer amnesty to Bakassi agitators in the creeks.

    Her words, “All the groups in that region are unable to speak in one voice or agree on a common leadership and this has over the years made all efforts to develop the region to be counterproductive.

    “Even those that have held positions of authority over the years have not been able to help the region. This is not a time for blame, but we should seek a solution urgently. With due respect and humility I am appealing to the leadership of the region to call for an emergency all-inclusive summit especially the grassroots and all groups, including youths and women.

    “For us to achieve anything, we have to speak with one voice. We have to get culture of togetherness. Right now there are all splinter groups and all the groups are unable to solve the problems of the region and it is unfortunate, including those Niger Delta sons and daughters that have been in position of authority.

    “I am appealing as a mother and calling for that emergency summit. All the groups have not been able to achieve much because of disunity amongst the leadership. The leadership of the region should work together. They should have a common front to tackle all the problems of the region. All the groups should come under one umbrella and call for the summit. Every interest or group should collapse and come under one umbrella for the summit.”

  • Lawmakers react to 2018 budget proposal

    Lawmakers react to 2018 budget proposal

    Mixed reactions on Tuesday trailed the 2018 budget proposal of N8.6 trillion, shortly  after it was presented by President Muhammadu Buhari before a Joint Session of the National Assembly in Abuja.

    Some lawmakers expressed satisfaction with the budget which has a nominal increase of 16 per cent above the 2017 Budget estimate and tagged “Budget of Consolidation’’.

    Sen. Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara) said it was a budget of hope and a realistic one, looking at its parametres.

    He said “there are various indications that the budget proposal is realistic.

    “For instance, the oil benchmark of 64 dollars per barrel as against 45 dollars  per barrel in the  2017 budget will help in the implementation of the budget when passed and assented to.

    “Also, the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation that the  aspirations Niger Delta people would be looked into, would improve crude oil production.

    “Even with the sectoral allocation, I believe it is a budget for the common man.”

    Marafa  assured that the National Assembly would play its role by ensuring that all standing committees worked assiduously to realise an implementable budget.

    He added that the legislature would be keen on oversight to check implementation level of projects.

    Sen. Magnus Abe (APC-Rivers) said the budget proposal was realisable.

    He said that from the presentation, every part of the country got something out of the budget.

    “Everybody looking for the prospect of the economy got a glimmer of the hope from  the budget proposal presented today.

    “We need to do what we ought to do not to lose time while we re-organise the budget from January to December, by rolling over some of the projects and plans for 2017.”

    The lawmaker, however, added that like every other budget, there were still challenges in passing and implementing it.

    He said budget cycle had some procedures and rules that had to flow with it, adding that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework(MTEF) was supposed to be treated by National Assembly before receiving the budget proposal.

    Abe said that was not done because MTEF was not presented early enough.

    “It will be difficult to implement the budget proposal without taking care of some of those challenges but outside of that, I believe that we are on track and  with all working together, it is achievable.”

    On the effect of non-oil sector on the sector, Abe said from the presentation, the country’s export  was beginning to bring in returns, adding that if consolidated, it was achievable in the long term.

    However, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP-Abia) said his concern was the implementation of the 2017 budget.

    He stressed that  it was the implementation of the budget that would impact positively on the people.

    He added that “I am  speaking on behalf of Nigerians as a senator that we should talk more about implementation than applauding the presentation of the budget proposal.

    “That is why I am insisting that we should know the level of implementation of the 2017 budget before we talk of 2018.

    “On the face value, N8.6 trillion is an increment over 2017 estimate but what is the level of implementation of the previous budget?.”

  • NAF destroys oil barges of stolen oil products in Niger Delta

    NAF destroys oil barges of stolen oil products in Niger Delta

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) says it has successfully destroyed some oil barges containing stolen oil products at Adokiakiri community in the Niger Delta.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to Adesanya, the illegal oil barges and storage facilities were spotted by NAF EC-135 Helicopter during an armed reconnaissance mission on Nov.5.

    He said that the illegal barges were all destroyed.

    The director added that NAF remained resolute in making oil theft and illegal bunkering unprofitable for those concerned.

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