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Tag: Okowa

  • Where is DESOPADEC’s N48.6b, APC asks Okowa

    Where is DESOPADEC’s N48.6b, APC asks Okowa

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to explain the whereabouts of N48.6 billion meant for the funding of the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) since May, 2015.

    In a statement at the weekend by its Acting Publicity Secretary, Leonard Obibi, the party accused the Okowa-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of either misappropriating or embezzling the fund.

    It said the missing cash had reduced the interventionist agency to a salary-disbursing body.

    APC also said the amendment to the law establishing the agency by the Okowa administration was aimed at making it powerless to alleviate the suffering of oil producing communities.

    But Okowa, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagu, described the allegation as false and uninformed.

    The governor said whatever had accrued to the state from the 13 per cent derivatives had been depleted before it reached government coffers.

    He said the money was deducted to service several financial debts and commitments of the state government.

    APC said it was “alarmed by the devious and possible misappropriation of a mind-boggling sum of N48.6 billion by Governor Okowa. The funds, which legally accrued to and ought to have been released to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) for the immediate development of the oil-producing communities, is currently amiss and unaccounted for.

    “The N48.6 billion represents 50 per cent of N97.2 billion, which is the amount already paid by the Federal Government and received from the 13 per cent derivation funds by the Okowa led-PDP government of Delta State from May 2015 to November 2016. Delta APC is concerned that this money may have been misappropriated or embezzled by the Okowa led-PDP government to the chagrin of the beneficiaries who are the oil-producing communities in the state.

    “It is also quite striking that at the onset of Okowa administration, the law setting up DESOPADEC was swiftly amended and it may have been ‘customised’ in a manner that has made it possible for Okowa to render the commission comatose.

    “It is disappointing that Okowa has now reduced activities at the commission to mere payment of wprkers’ salaries. A once vibrant and strategic agency, which held hope and promise for the citizens of the famished oil-producing areas, has been crushed and strangulated, probably preparatory to its demise and eventual interment.

    “Governor Okowa cannot remain silent and evasive any longer. We call on him today to declare to the oil-producing communities the whereabouts of their ‘missing’ N48.6 billion. The funds must be made available for the development of oil-producing areas, as stipulated by law. DESOPADEC has been waiting; the oil-producing communities are insisting on their rights and Deltans are watching.”

    Reacting to the allegation, Aniagu said: “On the issue of the N48.6 billion, which they are claiming, nothing can be farther from the truth. How did they arrive at their calculation? They are claiming that about N90 billion from the 13 per cent derivative, but that is not true. They have forgotten that we have obligations. We have debts that are deducted before the money even gets to the state, on accounts of existing debts, in terms of contractuals, in terms of the bonds as well as the rescheduled loans from the Federal Government.

    “Secondly, DESOPADEC is not a government within government; it was created to aid government in taking care of the plight of our brothers in oil producing communities and our desire is to ensure that DESOPADEC functions optimally. This is why the law was amended, to enable them function, and not to be bugged down by boardroom politics.

    “To the best our knowledge, that amendment has helped DESOPADEC to gain focus, rather than the usual bickering among board members, on account of ethnic sentiments.

    “So, anybody who is insinuating that we are out to make DESOPADEC non-functional or paralyse their activities is not saying the truth. There is nothing close to the truth in what they are alleging. “Besides, everybody is also aware of the state of the economy. You know that Section 14, subsection 2, Paragraph b of the 1999 Constitution makes it clear that the primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of the people. I don’t see any government that will abdicate that responsibility on the altar of road construction.

    “It will, therefore, be very irresponsible for anybody to think that our government is misappropriating money meant for DESOPADEC. That’s not true.”

  • Okowa praises security agencies

    Okowa praises security agencies

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has hailed security agencies for reducing kidnapping.

    Okowa, who spoke in Asaba when the Principal, Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Prof. Sunny Iyuke, led the institution’s top management to visit him, said most kidnappers were young men not from the South.

    He said the judiciary was proactive following the signing into law of the Delta State Anti-Cultism and Anti-Terrorism Bill 2016.

    The governor urged people to be vigilant, to curb kidnapping and other crimes.

    He said six special courts were set up to try those arrested for kidnapping and terrorism.

    “We are confident kidnapping and other crimes will be reduced soon. Hence people’s socio-economic lives will be improved.”

    Okowa assured PTI management of his administration’s assistance.

    He said over 4,000 youths were trained under skill acquisition programmes.

    Iyuke praised Okowa’s developmental efforts.

  • Community gives Okowa ultimatum to withdraw staff of office

    Community gives Okowa ultimatum to withdraw staff of office

    The indigenes of Enhwe kingdom in Isoko South Local Government of Delta State have given a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to withdraw the staff of office presented to Chief Anthony Efekodha as the king.

    In a petition by their solicitor, Dn. Success Egwuenu, the people said the governor should withdraw the staff of office or they would begin a legal proceeding.

    The petition was sent by the community’s representatives – Prince Daniel; High Chief Jonathan Asama; Chief Patrick Okakor; Comrade Afoke Johnny, president-general and Prince Julius Panama.

    It alleged that Efekhoda did not win election and did not pass through due process as required by the custom and tradition of Enhwe kingdom.

    The petition recalled that Enhwe people protested to the Deputy Governor’s Office in Asaba on November 2 and embarked on the second demonstration on December 13.

    The people said since the monarch would serve them and not the government, “we urge Governor Okowa to withdraw the staff of office given to Chief Efekhoda and give it to Prince Julius Panama, to avoid a breach of the peace in our community.”

  • Okowa, wife celebrate 30 years of marriage

    A few days ago, the home of the Delta State governor was in celebratory mood. But it had nothing to do with the festive season. The first couple of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa and his beautiful wife Edith, celebrated the 30th anniversary of their union.

    Like a ship steered by a master captain sailing serenely on the high seas, the Okowas’ marriage has outlasted all the snares life has tested it with. That is why the Okowas threw all restraint to the winds to hold a spectacular celebration in honour of a love that is still growing strong.

    The lush event featured a display of pomp and exquisite entertainment. The joyous couple totally gave themselves over to the moment as they relished the day in the company of family members and friends.

  • Okowa and challenges of governance

    SIR: There is no denying the fact that Delta State has over the years been denied the right atmosphere and policy framework for industrial growth despite having in abundance natural and human resources that could drive industrial and infrastructural development at a great speed.

    Therefore, having Governor Arthur Okowa at the saddle of leadership coupled with his trumpeted crusade of industrial, economic and socio-political re-engineering, it is expected that the drawbacks and obstacles that had stood in the way to speedy development of the state would be dismantled to pave way for progressive, meaningful and viable economic and industrial growth.

    Considering the dwindling resources of the country currently, resulting from fallen crude oil price and low performing rate of income generating institutions, it is appropriate to remind governor Okowa that his government will have to think out of the box to be able to contend with the challenges posed by paucity of fund as evident in drastic reduction in the Federal Revenue Allocation (FRA) to the states in recent times. To augment the shortfall in revenue therefore, Governor Okowa must plug the leakages in the internally generated revenue sector of the state to pave way for proper accountability.

    In the same plank, the nagging issue of unemployment has been recurring in the state, with successive governments paying lip service to its attendant harm to the socio-economic wellbeing of the people. The teeming unemployed graduates and indeed, able body men and women roaming the streets deserve better living standard from the government of the day. Therefore, Governor Okowa’s government must not fail in its responsibility to providing succor to the hapless and unemployed Deltans.

    The most pathetic a situation hurting the state is the deteriorating state of safety of lives and properties in recent times, and the attention of Governor Okowa is seriously needed in this regard. There is no denying the fact that the spate of insecurity in the state has assumed a disturbing dimension as crimes are committed with ease with little or no effort on the part of the law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book. Consequently, residents in most cities in the state now resort to self-help mechanism by contracting the services of private guards. What with the liberty at which youths wield dangerous weapons and cause mayhem in the communities and cities. Without mincing words, the rate at which lawlessness prevails in most communities of the state calls for urgent attention of the government or else, there will be total breakdown of law and order. Splinter groups of youths or factions in the communities often pitch against one another in a shooting bout and causing pandemonium as residents scamper for safety.

    Governor Okowa must ensure that the mindset of the youths is reoriented, reformed, and repositioned towards productive life endeavour. The governor must ensure that Delta State is safe and conducive for living with full enthronement of the rule of law which is sine qua non for economic and infrastructural development of the state. In other words, the Governor Okowa’s crafted road map to economic recovery and prosperity of the state through the platform of the SMART agenda cannot see the light of day when safety of lives and properties is undermined and botched by impunity and flagrant violation of the extant laws of the land by miscreants and ‘area boys.’

    In a nutshell, Deltans urge governor Okowa to be focused, steadfast and committed to his transformation initiative to be able to rescue the state from the current economic turmoil. This clarion call must be taken serious by the governor in situ.

     

    • Emeka Nwokocha,

    Warri, Delta State.

  • Panic in Delta community over Okowa’s aide’s kidnap

    There is panic at Olomoro in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State over the circumstances surrounding the abduction of a Special Assistant (SA) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Community Development, Chief Avura Awheme, by some gunmen.

    Awheme, who is said to be interested in the chairmanship seat of the local government in the next council poll, was reported abducted by gunmen over a week ago while returning from a trip on a property matter.

    It was learnt that the abductors had been paid N5 million ransom since last Wednesday.

    A community source said the abductors asked for N30 million, but the victim’s family managed to reduce it to N5 million.

    Despite the payment, the abductors have not released Awheme and his family heard from them at the time of filing this report last night.

    “They used Avura’s phone to call and demanded N30 million. The person who picked the call asked for N1 million and cut the line. When another call was established, the demand was negotiated to N5 million. The money was paid about four days ago. But the kidnappers have not released him,” a community source said.

    A close associate, who confirmed the development to our reporter but wished not to be named, said the abduction was causing panic among the residents.

    The source said some people were uncomfortable with the development and were linking the kidnap to his ambition to contest the chairmanship of the local government area in the next election.

    The source added: “He (Awheme) had gone to settle a property development disagreement at Olomoro and was returning when he was kidnapped. The matter is seriously heating up Olomoro because our people believe this might have a connection with politics. We believe he ought to have regained his freedom, with all the efforts already made. We just pray they haven’t done anything to him because that may cause a serious crisis in the town.”

    Police spokesman Andrew Aniamaka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the command was working with vigilantes to rescue Awheme.

    He said: “A ransom of N30 million was, in fact, demanded. We are not resting on our oars. Our efforts are being complemented by the vigilantes towards a successful rescue of the victim.”

     

  • Okowa, others decry exclusion from Amnesty programme

    Okowa, others decry exclusion from Amnesty programme

    • Communities, OICs disagree on $141m CSR

    Eminent Nigerians, including Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday criticised a bill seeking to provide a legal and institutional framework for the implementation and management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    The governor was expressing his opinion on the “Presidential Programme on Rehabilitation and Reintegration (Establishment and Implementation) Bill, 2016 in his submission before the Essien Ekpeyong Ayi-headed House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta.

    He said there was urgent need to restructure the programme.

    This was as communities in the Niger Delta insisted on getting two per cent of the annual budget of the international oil companies (IOCs) operating in their communities.

    The communities also called for the use of security votes to support youths “who surrendered their arms but were not captured in the Amnesty programme”.

    Most of the stakeholders at the event sought clarification on the supervisory role of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in the proposed Amnesty Bill.

    Okowa, whose submission was presented by Pascal Adigwe, said: “One of the things that need to be urgently looked at is the structure of the programme, which at the moment is solely run by the Federal Government. This needs to change. The state governments in the region need to be engaged as partners with the Federal Government.

    “This partnership should take the form of involvement of the states in the selection, training and empowerment, while the Federal Government takes charge of the funding.”

    The governor decried a situation whereby those captured in the programme were sent on study courses that have no bearing on local needs.

    He said: “I strongly recommend the model encapsulated in my administration’s S.M.A.R.T agenda where unemployed youths are trained in select disciplines relevant to local industries and the needs of the society.”

    In a presentation by its Group Managing Director, Maikanti Baru, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it would not support a collection of gifts and donations as part of the funding for the Amnesty programme to avoid conflict of interest.

    It said: “We recommend that loans, gifts and donations from individuals and private companies should be discouraged. Gifts of land from communities for field offices should also not be permissible. Other gifts and grants should only come from national, bilateral and multilateral agencies and the three tiers of government.”

    The chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Clay Neff, rejected Section 15.2 (e) of the Amnesty Bill.

    He said: “OPTS’ 24 members operate approximately 90 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas production.

    “In 2015 alone, OPTS contribution amounted to over US$ 141 million in support of voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on infrastructure development, education and medical facilities to mention a few. As you’re aware, we also pay the required Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) levy.

    “Currently, government takes approximately 95 per cent of net revenues from joint venture oil production. This includes corporate taxes, production royalties, NNPC share of production and a plethora of taxes and levies to the Federal Government and its agencies.

    “It is our view that the additional obligations sought to be imposed by Clause 15.2(e) of the Amnesty Bill will increase the burden on industry – thereby weakening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global oil and gas industry.”

    He submitted that section 15.2(e) should be deleted from the amnesty bill.

    But the communities faulted OPTS’ submission, especially its assertion that they had spent over $141 million on CSR.

    Prof. Jasper Jumbo, who spoke for the oil producing communities, said what the oil producers said they had done with such an amount was not visible to anyone.

    He said Security votes should go into programmes for other youths who surrendered arms and were not included in the amnesty and that the 5 percent of the Ecological Fund in the bill should be increased to 10 percent.

    The National Civil  Society Consultative Forum in Peace and Security represented by Jaiye Gaskiya proposed a clear exit date for the amnesty programme. And that peaceful communities should be identified and provided incentives under the programme to encourage other communities to remain peaceful.

    The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, represented by deputy Minority leader, Chukwuka Onyeama, noted that the passage of the bill will end militancy,,pipeline vandalism and bring business back to the Niger Delta by increasing the crude oil production output.

     

     

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  • SOS to Okowa

    SIR: I wish to appeal to the Delta State government, under the leadership of Dr.Ifeanyi Okowa, to help us reconstruct the Adonte Road in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. Most of the people are farmers, and the terrible condition of the road is making it very difficult for them to transport their farm produce to the urban areas for sale. As a result of this, most farm produce rot in the community, and this is a loss to the farmers.

    Even, the traditional ruler of Adonte, Obi Emmanuel Okonkwo, has made several pleas to the state government to help rehabilitate his domain’s road, which is in such a terrible condition.

    Good roads have a way of bringing development to an area, but the terrible condition of Adonte Road has brought with it underdevelopment, as nobody is ready to come to the community to invest. Tourism visits to the community, which used to be popular in the past, have dwindled significantly, and this terrible road is partly to be blamed.

    Even indigenes of Adonte who are in the Diaspora are not too keen to be coming to their homeland because of the stress they go through before getting to the community.

    I therefore use this opportunity to appeal to Governor Okowa to come to our aid in Adonte by reconstructing the road so that development can creep into the town.

     

    • Osodi Ngozi,

    Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi Uku.

  • Ogbe-Ijoh Market crisis: Okowa stops collection of levies

    Ogbe-Ijoh Market crisis: Okowa stops collection of levies

    The Delta State Government has ratified a recent agreement banning the collection of levies and other taxes at the Ogbe-Ijoh Market in Warri South Local Government Area.

    The government also stopped the building of structures in the market to avert further breach of the peace and a breakdown of law and order.

    Two weeks ago, there was a threat to peace in the market when youths from Agbasa community (Urhobo) and those from Ogbe-Ijoh community (Ijaw) engaged in a gun duel over the ownership of the market and levy collection.

    But at a peace meeting at the weekend convened by the government and the police to mediate between the warring sides, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urged both sides to embrace peace.

    The governor said his administration would be able to provide the enabling environment for growth and development when the people embraced peace.

    Okowa, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Ovie Agas, said there was no need to fight over lands because such constitutionally belong to the state.

    He pledged to give adequate attention to the market crisis.

    Okowas advised the warring parties to abide by an earlier agreement, which was midwifed by the Commander of the Warri Area Command of the Delta State Police Command, Mohammed Muazu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

    Under the pact, both sides pledged to desist from levy collection and building of new structures.

    He said: “This agreement signed prior to now should be strictly adhered to; no temporary or permanent structures should be built in the market until the matter is resolved. Levies or taxes or whatever name you call any money being demanded, should be stopped until the government takes a position on this matter…”

  • I’m hale and hearty, says Okowa

    I’m hale and hearty, says Okowa

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has refuted reports of his ill health, saying reporters must practise responsible journalism.

    Okowa’s ill health was reported by a section of the media last week, which suggested that he collapsed and was flown abroad for treatment.

    The governor expressed surprise at “the blatant falsehood published by a section of the social and main stream media suggesting that I collapsed and was flown abroad for medical attention”.

    He said: “It is unfair and uncharitable to disseminate false information. It is very unfortunate at this age and time that people will intentionally misinform others when there is opportunity to find out what might have happened.

    “I am told that certain sections of the social media reported that I have been flown abroad for medical treatment. When and how did that happen? I have been very busy treating hundreds of files on my table.

    “The truth is that last Wednesday, I entered the washroom in my office and one of the tiles fell off from the wall and I had a minor cut on my head. I had two stitches. The injury was treated and I was okay. People know I am a workaholic; that is why it didn’t stop me from working. I am hale and healthy.”

    Okowa expressed surprise that somebody queried why his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro, represented him at public functions, even though the Office of the Governor and his deputy’s are one.

    He advised reporters to always disseminate genuine information at all times.