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Tag: Uduaghan

  • Uduaghan expresses worry over new cases

    Uduaghan expresses worry over new cases

    Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has expressed deep concern over the new cases of Ebola virus outbreak in Rivers State, with a call on the citizens to be on the alert and take their personal hygiene and other preventive measures seriously.

    Governor Uduaghan, who has already set up an emergency committee on the deadly disease in the wake of the index case in the country, condemned the action of the diplomat that spread the virus to Port Harcourt and the doctor that attended to him in a hotel.

    Dr. Uduaghan, in a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, broadcast live from Asaba yesterday, as part of activities to mark the 23rd anniversary of the creation of Delta State, also called for increased and sustained advocacy campaign by stakeholders to curtail further spread of the disease.

    “I am not only concerned that the virus has entered Port Harcourt, I am worried and we need to step up advocacy programme for people to raise the level of awareness,” the governor who is a medical doctor by profession said.

    “I feel very sad, very bad as a professional that a colleague, a medical doctor went to a hotel to treat someone who was suspected to have Ebola virus. This calls for great concern and need for more awareness to be created.”

    He said: “It is ridiculous why a diplomat should leave Lagos for Port-Harcourt knowing that he had been in contact with the primary Ebola victim.”

    He disclosed that the Delta State Government had set up isolation centres in different parts of the state to ensure proper management of the disease.

    While expressing the hope that the disease would not spread to Delta State, Uduaghan called on the people to be vigilant since a lot of persons were still migrating to the state from different parts of the country.

    Answering question about some persons protesting against the location of isolation centres in their locality, the governor said such complaints had not been witnessed in Delta State, noting that there was no need for such protest as preventive measures would have been put in place to ensure the safety of those working in the centres and the people living in the area.

  • How my successor’ll emerge, by Uduaghan

    How my successor’ll emerge, by Uduaghan

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has broken his silence on his successor.
    He urged aspirants to sell their programmes and policies to the people, instead of scheming to disqualify their rivals.
    Uduaghan, who had been evasive on his likely successor, said only God could determine his successor.
    He spoke yesterday at an Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s (Anglican Communion), Asaba, to mark the state’s 23rd anniversary.
    Cautioning aspirants against mudslinging, the governor recalled that in the build up to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in 2006, he was disqualified by a screening committee in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, but was later cleared by an appeal panel.
    He said: “As an aspirant, tell the people what you want to do, let us have a clean electioneering campaign. Who God wants, He will put in office. Your campaign should not be about me or who I am supporting. It should be about what you can do for the people.
    “I thank everybody that has indicated interest to take over from me in 2015. It is not easy to make up one’s mind to contest, but know that there is only space for one person at a time for four years.”
    Uduaghan said Delta had cause to thank God on its 23rd anniversary because successive administrations had done well.
    He said the service was to acknowledge God’s mercies to the people and pray for more favours.
    The governor declared August 27 an annual day of thanksgiving, adding that a bill would be passed to that effect.
    He said his administration’s Delta Beyond Oil Programme was a legacy that would stand the test of time because it involved going back to the economic activities people engaged in before the discovery of oil.
    Uduaghan said: “We must go back to those things we used to do before oil was discovered – agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and others.”
    He attributed the peace and development in the state to concerted and sustained prayers, urging the people to be more united and tolerant of their neighbours.
    Uduaghan said: “What we need now is unity. We must eradicate bitterness. There is so much bitterness, which can lead to ethnic strife and security challenges.”

  • Uduaghan, Oritsejafor advise on proper child training

    Uduaghan, Oritsejafor advise on proper child training

    •Judge turns 90

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor have urged parents to pay attention to the upbringing of their children.

    They said the failure of parents to inculcate good values in their children was responsible for many societal ills.

    Uduaghan and Pastor Oritsejafor spoke at the weekend in Warri at the 90th birthday thanksgiving service for Justice Silvanus Ajuyah, father of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuyah (SAN).

    Uduaghan said: “I urge parents to bring up their children in a way that when they leave you, people can give positive testimonies about them. In life, three things are important: God first, your family second and your work third. Don’t let your work overshadow your family; don’t be too busy that you have no time for your family.

    “It is true that most of the criminals we see today are people who have challenges at home. Such deviant children, in the long run, harm and hurt their parents.”

    The governor hailed Justice Ajuyah for instilling discipline in his children, adding: “You can know the character of a man or a woman through his children. I have noticed three things about Justice Ajuyah’s children: discipline, serious mindedness and thoroughness. His children portray the discipline that was imbibed in them by their parents. You can see the importance of upbringing in his children.

    “Charles reflects the virtues of hard work, thoroughness and punctuality of his father. I have a feeling that the children, in all their endeavours, see their parents watching  them. They are propelled to be dedicated and disciplined.”

    Pastor Orisejafor said Justice Ajuyah and his wife played a significant role in his upbringing, describing the celebrator as “my pride and that of so many people”.

    The CAN President said parents must play a major role in the moulding of their children, lamenting that this God-assigned role has been neglected by many, resulting in the increasing number of criminals in the society.

    The officiating minister, Ven. Best Agbolayah, described Justice Ajuyah as “integrity, punctuality and dedication personified”, urging people to build lasting legacies.

    One of the celebrator’s  sons, Lawrence; former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Thompson Okpoko and others, in their remarks, described Justice Ajuyah as “a man of integrity, hard work, dedication, thoroughness and forthrightness”.

  • Uduaghan plans film village in Delta

    Uduaghan plans film village in Delta

    Applauding what he described as Nollywood’s movie image role in Nigeria, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State said he was ready to build a world-class film village that would change the face of the film industry in Nigeria.

    The Governor, who is set to provide a piece of land for the take-off of the project, explained that the construction of a film village in Delta State was in line with his administration’s human capital development and would also serve as encouragement to the Nigerian film industry which mirrors the ills of the society, while ‘marketing’ the country to the world.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit by a Delta State-born film producer, Chief Eddie Ugbomah, on Thursday, Uduaghan observed that Delta State was playing key roles in the entertainment industry, as  most of the Nigerian actors, actresses, comedians, musicians and journalists are either Deltans or have links to the state.

    He said his administration was committed to investing in the areas of entertainment and tourism, noting that the film village was based on the fact that Delta State remains Nigeria’s entertainment hub and pre-eminent destination for film producers and actors.

    He commended Ugbomah for producing films on the gains and challenges of the oil industry, adding that such films were in line with his administration’s Delta Beyond Oil programme.

    “Some of your films like the Oil Doom and the Black Gold are in tandem with our development model of Delta Beyond Oil,” Governor Uduaghan said, adding that “they expose the negative aspects of crude oil because an oil economy is not a sustainable economy; it has its challenges.”

    He emphasised: “Though we are an oil-producing state, we are using the oil money to develop other areas of the economy, so we associate with the ideals of your films.”

    Uduaghan congratulated Ugbomah on his 74th birthday and 50th anniversary as a film producer and assured him of his administration’s assistance in the establishment of a gallery in the state.

  • Uduaghan mourns Ben Obi

    Uduaghan mourns Ben Obi

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has expressed sadness at the death of Mr Ben Charles Obi, the founding editor of Insider Weekly.

    He described him as “one of the crusaders of the present democratic experiment in Nigeria”.

    In a statement, the governor said the late Obi’s sacrifice as a journalist and an activist during the military era would not be forgotten, adding that the country may have remained under dictators, if not for the courage shown by the like of the deceased.

    Uduaghan said: “The country shall not particularly forget sacrifices made by Obi and other journalists, who risked their lives to speak the truth, displayed exceptional courage and openly challenged the military junta seeking to perpetuate itself in office. They are some of the true defenders of Nigeria’s democracy.”

    He sent his condolences to the management and staff of Insider Weekly, journalists and all lovers of democracy.

  • Who succeeds Uduaghan?

    Who succeeds Uduaghan?

    In this piece, Celestine Efeukane examines the succession battle in Delta State and the chance of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Ovie Omo-Agege at the primaries.

    The governorship race has started in Delta State. On May 29, next year, a new governor will begin a fresh tenure. In Delta, the race has assumed a new dimension. Aspirants are consulting with stakeholders and mapping out strategies. No fewer than 20 aspirants have thrown their hats into the ring. Delta State is a strategic state in Nigeria. Its abundant oil and gas nourish the world in the same manner that it is home to some of the most sought after human capital resources. It is therefore, understandable why the governorship race appears to have peaked. The people of Delta are dymanic. Its economy and multi-cultural endowment are assets.This dynamism is also reflected in its succession politics.

    One aspirant whose declaration for the governorship has electrified the political space is the charismatic politician, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, a political titan whose political astuteness is stuff for legends. A trained lawyer, who honed his legal skills in the United States, Omo-Agege has become a major player, who has built tested and reliable bridges across the ethnic groups in Delta State. He is a household name in the Southsouth state.  He has become a political phenomenon.

    Omo-Agege’s fame is not premised on his involvement in politics. He is well known as a strategist, loyal party man and development marshal. Many Deltans still talk about how he revolutionized the development process in Delta State when he served as the Secretary to the State Government. Before then he had served as Commissioner for Special Duties leaving an enviable record of development oriented service. Many people had then wondered where he got the ideas and energy to evolve and implement the ideals he used to propel the government of the time. The people soon discovered that it was all about a deep passion to serve humanity and make life better for the people.

    Omo-Agege’s politics is driven by passion. This is the passion to serve Delta State as governor and help consolidate the state. This passion took him into politics in 2002 and since then there has been no going back.

    His attempt at the governorship between 2006 and today are the result of the pull by the passion and conviction to take the state to the next level. Some have called it desperation, but that is a wrong interpretation of his sublime motive. The kind of motive that  energised Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and the late sage, Pa Obafemi Awolowo.

    A keen follower of Omo-Agege will discover that he is not in the race for the fun of it and making statements that remain unsubstantiated. He has a programme tagged:“four pillars of consolidation.” He is a development-oriented mind. The four pillars of consolidation  is an elaborate manifesto that is aimed at maximum development. The dominant ideas of the four pillars are ‘strong and stable economy, strong and secured society, cleaner environment and new politics’. The overriding and ultimate goal of the four pillars is creating an enabling environment for investors which will culminate in the industrialization of the state and maximum job creation. Omo-Agege anticipates a Delta State where every citizen will be gainfully employed, a state where crime will be reduced to its barest minimum, a state where senior citizens spend their lives in bliss while the younger folk work, prosper and look forward to their retirement. He has worked out an elaborate scheme for crime prevention in order to ensure social cohesion and peace. His design also takes into consideration the significant role of good and quality education, a reliable and confidence boosting health sector and the upgrading of infrastructure such as housing, electricity, transportation and other amenities that make life modern and worth living. He has promised an all inclusive government where the people’s aspirations and concerns will be prioritized. He insists on accountability, transparency and ther recognition of the role of civil society in the development process. This is what he calls New Politics.

    Since his declaration, Omo-Agege has taken this message of hope and consolidation to every corner of Delta State by way of consultation with the people. His vision has been described as a Pan-Delta agenda for transformation which has been embraced everywhere in the state. He talks of an All Delta Agenda with Anioma, Ijaw, Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo in the fold. The Omo-Agege political train has what it takes to get Delta to its destination. Deltans know this and they are just waiting for the election day and do what they should do by overwhelmingly casting their votes for Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege.

     

     • Efeukane is contributing this piece from Effurun.

  • South-South governors, leaders endorse Jonathan for 2015

    South-South governors, leaders endorse Jonathan for 2015

    South-South governors and leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party on Tuesday endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election next year.

    The endorsement of the President for the 2015 election was the highpoint of a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, as part of his zonal tour of the South-South.

    The leaders of the region in a communiqué read at the end of the meeting by former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, hinged their endorsement of the President on the giant strides recorded by his administration across all sectors.

    The communiqué reads: “We acknowledge the giant strides of Mr. President in the area of education, agriculture, health, tourism, re-invention of the railway systems, roads and other infrastructural development across the country. It is also notable that there is tremendous focus on economic empowerment of Nigerians.

    “In view of his (President) doggedness in pursuing his transformation agenda for Nigeria, the South-South is in full support of President Jonathan’s administration. We therefore, endorse Mr. President for the forthcoming 2015 presidential election so as to continue his transformation agenda which transcends across all spheres of our lives.”

    The communiqué was signed by Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom , Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) Liyel Imoke (Cross River ) and Emmanuel Uduaghan  (Delta State).

  • Uduaghan cuts short trip to settle Ugborodo crisis

    Uduaghan cuts short trip to settle Ugborodo crisis

     •Unrest spreads to Warri

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has cut short his trip to Glasgow, Scotland,  for the Commonwealth Games. He is returning home to settle the escalating Ugborodo crisis.

    On Tuesday, members of  opposing groups stormed the Esisi Road, Warri township home of a factional leader, David Tonwe, torching two cars.

    There has been a resurgence of hostilities in the last one week, sparked by attempts by the authorities at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta to execute one of the articles in the peace agreement signed by the warring factions in the community- resettlement of displaced persons from Ugborodo community, which was resisted by some members in the community.

    The failed attempt at resettling displaced community members resulted in a gale of arson.

    Uduaghan said he had reached out to the two factions in the crisis, telling them to embrace peace.

    The governor, who spoke to The Nation from Glasgow last night, however, debunked an allegation that the Ugborodo crisis was caused by the rivalry between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Tuesday night’s attack is considered to be the most provocative in recent times.

    Narrating his ordeal to The Nation in Warri yesterday, Tonwe alleged that the group that attacked his home, destroying the vehicles parked outside, was led by Chief Ayiri Emami, one of his rivals.

    Emami, however, refuted the allegation. He said he was in his home when he was informed of the attack and that it happened during a clash between a group led by Amejuma Atete and those loyal to Tonwe.

    According to Tonwe, the problem started when the Emami group, leaving the police station, a short distance from his house, where they had gone to secure the release of the prime suspect in the series of arson in the past few days, attacked his home.

    “Yesterday, prior to the arson at Ubeji, the owner of the house went to report to the police. After he reported the case, police arrested one of the prime suspects, Mike Atete. When Ayiri heard that he was in police custody, he mobilised more than 50 boys to the police station and on getting there, they demanded that the boy be released. That was yesterday evening, about 6:30pm.

    “After leaving the police station with the boy, they passed through my place. The police station is near my house. He (Ayiri) led the troop. On reaching my place, they vandalised my cars and torched the two other cars,” Tonwe said.

    But Emami said he was never around Tonwe’s house, adding that the person who attacked Tonwe’s home was one of his former loyalists, who felt disaffected.

    His words: “I was never near Tonwe’s house. I did not pass through his area. It is not true, he is just looking for a way to dent my name. If they have not told you the truth, I will tell you now. Police arrested one boy called Amejuma Atete, a boy they were using against me before, but who has turned against them. I was at the police station to secure his release because already they had gathered at the front of the police station. I left them at the place after he was released.

    “I had reached my home before I heard what happened at Tonwe’s house. I heard that when they left the police station, which is not far from Tonwe’s house, they passed through Tonwe’s home and clashed with his supporters. It was then that the destruction of vehicles happened. I was never around there.”

  • Uduaghan: ante-natal free in Delta

    Uduaghan: ante-natal free in Delta

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has warned expectant mothers not to pay for ante-natal services in any state-owned hospital.

    The governor gave the warning yesterday at the Mother-and-Child Centre of the Central Hospital, Warri.

    He said: “Ante-natal services are free in government hospitals. You are not to give money to anybody, you should not make any payment, even if it requires operation, it is free and your children who are five years and below have free medical attention.

    “You must come here and deliver your babies. Do not register for ante-natal and when it is time for delivery, you will go to meet one woman because everybody (nurses) you see here are professionals.

    “Keep your regular appointments so that you will have safe delivery. You must immunise your children, you must breast feed them.”

  • Uduaghan gives tips on employment

    To address graduate unemployment, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is advocating the inclusion of business studies in the curricula of tertiary institutions.

    Uduaghan, who spoke at the maiden convocation of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro , stressed that the curriculums of tertiary institutions should be tailored towards producing graduates that would be self-employed.

    He said graduate unemployment posed a big challenge that the government at the various levels cannot solve.  He therefore urged that governments should fashion out programmes and policies aimed at producing graduates that would be self reliant.

    In Delat State, he said the “Delta beyond Oil” project “is geared towards how we can engage some of these youths as they come out, in this development programme.”

    “We believe in self-employment. The challenge is how do we get you to become self-employed?  There is the challenge of educating you not just in your specialty, but also how to manage the business and of course there is also the area of funding if you have to be self employed,” he added.

    He noted that self-employment programmes and initiatives were incomplete without sound knowledge of business management skills.

    Meanwhile, the governor praised the rector of the institution Dr Jacob Oboreh, for deploying the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the school to develop about 30 infrastructural projects within two years.

    Uduaghan said the feat achieved by Oboreh has reaffirmed his belief that management of higher institutions should be allowed to manage their IGR without remittance to the state government.

    Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, called on institutions of higher learning in the state to key into the Delta beyond Oil programme to produce graduates that would be self- reliant.

    Eghagaha praised lecturers of the polytechnic for not joining the strike by their counterparts across the country.