The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yenagoa

  • Bayelsa varsity compiles list of 1,700 workers for redeployment, dismissal

    Throws weight behind Dickson’s public sector reforms

    The Governing Council and Management of the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) has thrown its weight behind the state government’s ongoing public service reforms.

    Describing the move as good for the state, Chairman of the Council, Prof. Steve Azaiki said the reforms had already thrown up a list of 1,700 workers of the university for redeployment, retirement and outright dismissal.

    Speaking in Yenagoa after a meeting between the state Governor Seriake Dickson and the Governing Board of the school, Azaiki, expressed the council’s readiness to implement the government’s policy of sanitizing the public service.

    He  noted that a practice where the university solely depended on the state government to fund its over-bloated workforce was unsustainable.

    He commended Dickson for his bold steps and absolved the governor of any blames in the current shake-up that affected 1,700 workers in the university.

    He said: “It was the leadership of the university that listed the affected staff following the outcome of a discreet verification to make for more efficiency, better service delivery as well as create space for the employment of young qualified people, particularly Bayelsans.

    “The amount of money that government has been giving to NDU is not sustainable. Suppose oil price falls or there are issues of governance or politics, anything can happen and then the university will collapse. So, we need to look inwards and see how we can come up with a sustainable figure.

    “We are going to look at the list again especially in the case of NDU. We provided to the government, 1700 non-academic staff that we think should be redeployed or should be disengaged by the institution to make sure that the policy of government is effective.

    “However, one of the key things the governor said in the meeting, is that, there could be need for us to reabsorb most of these people. So, Council will meet and review the list, and we will come up with a solution on how best we can help our own people.

    “After all, some of them are due for retirement, some are incompetent while others are facing disciplinary actions. So, we will make separate recommendations for all the cases because I believe that the Governor is ready to accommodate Bayelsans in our system. So there is no need for people to take laws into their hands.”

    While, urging labour unions to show understanding and play by the rules of engagement, Azaiki warned students and lecturers against social vices such as cultism and sexual harassment.

    He insisted that the university would not only expel or sack anyone found culpable, but also work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure the prosecution of such persons.

    Also speaking, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of NDU, Prof Samuel Edoumiekumo described rumours making the rounds that, the university increased its school fees, as malicious, blatant lies and the height of blackmail.

    According to the Vice Chancellor, returning students in management and social sciences, education are paying N35, 000, while their counterparts in the medical sciences pay N45, 000 as against the N230, 000 and N250.000 insinuated in some quarters.

    While calling on parents and guardians, as well as the general public to ignore the rumours, he urged all concerned stakeholders to visit the institution’s website to avail themselves of the official fee structure of the university.

    Edoumiekumo restated the university’s resolve to implement the rules and regulations as enshrined in the students’ handbook.

    He said that any student who failed to pay their schools within the stipulated period of payment would be sanctioned accordingly.

    On his part,  the Special Adviser to the Governor on Students Affairs, Mr. Austin Adigio said the governor created a new platform to foster a stronger students-government relationship to enable him interact more closely with students on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

    He reaffirmed the present administration’s commitment to building the state for posterity through education and stressed the need for students to remain law abiding.

    He said the government would deal decisively with anyone caught fomenting trouble to scuttle the academic calendar of any institution in the state.

     

  • Dickson signs N316. 9bn appropriation bill into law

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Tuesday signed into law the 2018 Appropriation bill of N316.9bn.

    The budget contained capital expenditure of N156bn and recurrent of N160bn.

    Assenting to the bill in Government House, Yenagoa, Dickson assured that the budget would enable his administration consolidate on investments made in the state’s economy.

    He explained that the initial appropriation bill was N295bn but that the State House of Assembly, in its wisdom, increased it by N21bn.

    He said the government would ensure the completion of projects in the health and educational sector and boosting of investments in critical infrastructure such as the Eco-Industrial Park and Agge Deep Sea Port.

    He thanked the lawmakers for their commitment to duty and the expeditious passage of the bill, which was brought to them in December last year.

    Dickson urged the members to collaborate with the executive arm in sourcing the resources required to fund the budget.

    The governor who also solicited the continued support and cooperation of the people, especially in the implementation of the ongoing public service reforms, assured them of more dividends of democracy.

    He said: “The Appropriation Bill that I forwarded was about N295bn, but the House of Assembly increased it to N316bn. That is part of the checks and balances that they have exercised. And I know and trust, that in their own case, they will also work with me to ensure that we have the resources to be able to fund this budget.

    “That means, cutting down as much as possible, the running cost of government and we should all be more dedicated to building an efficient workforce.

    “That means, our public service should be up and doing, regulate itself and encourage the best out of it, that can ensure the delivery of the good things that are earmarked for this year in this state.”

    Dickson also signed the bills for the School of Nursing, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Vocational Training and Tourism Development and Hotel Licensing into law.

    Presenting the bills, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Konbowei Benson said the house properly scrutinized the proposal forwarded to it for consideration and passed it in the best interest of the state.

    Benson expressed optimism that the passage of the bills and signing into law would enable the restoration government to carry out laudable policies and programmes.

     

  • Second edition of Dickson football tournament begins

    The Local Organizing Committee of the Governor Seriake Dickson Football Tournament has commenced the second edition of the competition with official draws and distribution of jerseys.

    The tournament’s Media Director, Daniel Alabrah, in a statement, said the draws for the Restoration Cup earlier scheduled for April 19 would hold on April 18 at the Dr. Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre in Yenagoa.

    The Restoration Cup is a grassroots, community-based football competition to foster unity and peaceful coexistence among communities in the state.

    Alabrah said Governor Seriake Dickson, whom he described as a sports loving governor, is the special guest of honour while his Deputy Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) is the guest of honour.

    He named the chairman of the occasion as the Nigeria’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) committee member, Dr. Peter Singabele, and the chief host as the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Hon. Perekiye Buruboyefe.

    Dignitaries expected at the event are the Chief Executive Officer of Century Group, one of the major sponsors, Mr. Ken Etete, Executive Chairman, Bayelsa State Eco-Industrial City Limited, Arch. Amagbe Kentebe, corporate organisations such as Sterling Bank, A & K Construction, commissioners, local government caretaker committee chairmen, special advisers and other top government functionaries.

    He further said the secretaries and captains of all the registered community football teams in the state, sports journalists and officials of the Bayelsa Football Association would be in attendance.

    Others are members of the state referees association, coaches and football stakeholders.

    Alabrah said teams from no fewer than 100 communities in the state registered to participate in the tournament that would run for six weeks.

    The competition, he said would hold in 14 venues across the state.

  • Bizarre: 8000 inherited employments uncovered in Bayelsa civil service

    Dickson’s successor won’t inherit rot, says govt

     

    Preliminary report of the ongoing reforms in the Bayelsa State public sector has thrown up some bizarre discoveries in the state civil service.

    Over 8000 civil servants got their appointments by inheritance, a report of the verification committee said yesterday.

    Without going through the established due process for recruitments, the indicted workers were said to have been brought in by their friends, parents and relatives who left they system to replace them.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who disclosed some strange findings, said the magnitude of rot inherited by the government was mind-boggling.

    “The reforms have thrown up some discoveries which include over 8,000 inherited appointments. Some family members of deceased civil servants inherited their positions while irregular appointments, arbitrary promotion and impersonations has led to the over-bloated wage bill which the government is gradually reducing”, he said.

    He said the investigations further revealed that people were selling appointments for N250,000 and engaging in other employment racketeering especially at the local government level.

    On redeployment of staff, he said part of the reforms was to identify redundant persons and transfer them to other agencies in their interest and public good.

    The commissioner who spoke to select journalists in Yenagoa assured the people that the implementation of the reforms was not meant to witch-hunt any public servant.

    Iworiso-Markson averred that as painful as the government’s action was, it was done to avoid a collapse of the state’s public service.

    He said that the government embarked on a painstaking process of implementing the reforms with a focus on the welfare and wellbeing of persons, who might be affected by the exercise.

    He explained that  the government was resolute in its decision to redeploy the affected workers to remove the clogs in the wheels of the state’s progress.

    For instance he said the state-owned Radio Station (Glory FM) had over 300 personnel, while its private counterparts operate effectively with less than 12 personnel.

    According to him, it was the decision of the government to screen, train and redeploy workers with specialization in education to schools since the state was in need of teachers.

    He said that contrary to the erroneous impression created in some quarters, salaries of the affected persons were being paid into the Unpaid Salaries Account to be released after the redeployment.

    He added that to give a human face to the implementation of the reforms, the government made an arrangement to make financial provision for persons found not qualified to be in the system.

    Iworiso-Markson said that the plan was for the government to expose such people to training in the area of agricultural and entrepreneurial skills to enable them venture into private businesses.

    He said: “The exercise itself is still ongoing and the entire public service is aware. You must note that the names of the people listed for redeployment are those submitted as redundant workers by the general managers and supervisors.

    “For instance, there are over 300 staff in radio Bayelsa alone while private radio stations have about ten or fifteen doing the same job. The general managers were given the responsibility to fish out redundant personnel many  of who  were employed under questionable circumstances.

    “So Government is saying that this is not sustainable. The onus is on government to bring them in, check their qualifications and redeploy them to appropriate agencies. Anybody with B. ED for instance, would go to the teachers training institute, trained and redeployed. Government would use these people to teach”.

    Also the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), told persons opposed to the ongoing public sector reforms that the move was borne out of Governor Seriake Dickson’s desire to hand over a healthy and productive civil service to his successor.

    He took a swipe on the opposers of the reforms describing them as unpatriotic individuals and groups.

    “The government wants anyone who cares to listen that it has a responsibility to clean up a system that has been bastardized by some greedy individuals who over the years have taken advantage of the loopholes in the public service to perpetrate all forms of fraud”, he said.

    Though he admitted some minor imperfections ‎in the reform process, he said avenues had been provided for anyone address all genuine concerns. .

    “We have a responsibility to reform the system within the limits of human imperfection. Like every other process we know this is not perfect but we are working to ensure a fair deal for everyone”, he said.

    Jonah insisted that the restoration government was working hard to leave behind a robust public service by setting a standard for the next government to leverage on upon resumption.

    He said: “We want those opposed to the reforms to know that it is not a witch-hunt but an inevitable exercise to save the public service from near collapse. The government is not selective in the renewed fight against payroll thieves and robbers.

    “The right civil service procedures wil‎l be followed to disengage those who have either compromised the system in one way or the other or have allowed themselves to be beneficiaries of illegality.

    “Contrary to insinuations in some quarters, we are not sacking anybody but those who have been confirmed to have falsified their age, certificates or have promoted themselves arbitrarily will have to go. These are cases that cannot be overlooked.

    “However we are mindful of the effect of the action we are taking. So what we are doing is give those affected some form of soft landing by given them 3 months notice or 1 month notice of payment in lieu of their disengagement.

    “To show our sincerity in the reforms, we are following the normal procedure as laid out in the civil service rule. As a responsible government we have made it possible for those who due to administrative and humans are caught in the web to seek redress before the judicial commission of inquiry headed by a competent judge”.

  • Cultists kill commercial tricyclist in Bayelsa

    Cultists operating as thugs in the popular Tombia Market, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, have stabbed a commercial driver of a tricyclist, Keke Napep, to death in their failed attempt to rob him.

    The police, Thursday, said the suspects attempted to rob the victim, who hailed from the north, but killed him for resisting them.

    It was gathered that the killing caused tension in the area, forcing traders to close shops and run to different directions for safety.

    Colleagues and kinsmen of the victim were said to have gone berserk and later stabbed a youth they believed was one of the suspects to death.

    Fear of reprisal spread but the Central Zone leadership of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC),     the Bayelsa Volunteers and security agencies immediately intervened to restore order.

    The IYC Chairman, Mr. Tare Porri, immediately led a delegation to meet the kinsmen of the victim and sympathise with them.

    Porri asked them to remain calm and resist the temptation of taking laws into their own hands adding that crimes had no colour and tribe.

    He, however, complained about the nefarious activities of suspected thugs in the market who were fond of extorting money from Keke operators and other innocent people.

    “In this particular case they tried to extort money from the victim. But he told them he had no money because he just came out for business.

    “They got angry and stabbed him to death. If not because of our prompt intervention, it would have led to further bloodshed. We appeal to all the people in the state to remain calm and stop taking laws into their hands whenever there is provocation”, he said.

    Porri appealed to security agencies especially the police to maintain presence in the market to stop harassment of innocent people by thugs.

    The Chairman of the Bayelsa Volunteer Service, Mr. Douye Koroye, condemned the killing of the commercial driver describing it as barbaric.

    Koroye, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths urged youths to quit crime and take advantage of various opportunities created by the state government to make decent living.

    He commiserated with the deceased family  and asked security agencies to investigate the incident and bring the suspected cultists to justice.

    He said: “We call on the youths to be law-abiding, patriotic and responsible. Our governor has shown capacity to develop the youths. This is a youth government and we advise the youths to desist from crime and take advantage of the opportunities created for them by the government.

    “We warn that persons, who engage in cultism, are risking their lives. We have a new law in the state that stipulates stringent punishments for them. Cultists should renounce their membership now and embrace peace”.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident, said some persons had been identified and would soon, be arrested for investigations.

    He asked kinsmen of the victim to maintain the peace adding that persons who committed the heinous crime would face prosecution.

    Read Also: Cultists nabbed while robbing to bail arrested Leader

  • Bayelsa Magistrate walks journalists out of court

    …Church members beat up reporters

     

    Magistrate Eke Spiff, Wednesday, caused commotion in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when she ordered all journalists who came to cover a case of obtaining by tricks against the founder of the God is Able Mega Fire Ministry, Apostle Abiekunogho, out of her court.

    Abiekunogho is standing trial for allegedly obtaining a Toyota SUV and N20, 000 from a member of his church, Seiyefa Sayou, through a false prophecy.

    It was gathered that when the case resumed for hearing, the visibly angry magistrate ordered reporters to leave her court.

    She said:  “All journalists should leave this court. We don’t do sensational here, the last time you came here this issue was reported in all the media, and this made people to call my phone from all over the country, so much messages in my whatsapp. All the journalists leave my court,”

    The order by the magistrate emboldened the church members sympathetic to their pastor to threaten the journalists, who left the courtroom for the premises.

    It was later learnt that the pastor reportedly asked his members to deal with any journalist who tried to capture him with camera.

    Shortly after the court proceeding, it was gathered the pastor was shielded by his members to deter journalists from taking his photograph.

    But as he made his way to a waiting vehicle, some journalists were said to have taken some of his pictures.

    The development angered the church members, who descended on the journalists and gave them beating of their lives.

    A reporter attached to the Silverbird was given a hot slap while the correspondent of the TV Continental was beaten with his camera damaged.

    It was gathered that the church members threw caution to the wind as they continued meting out violence on the reporters and creating confusion in the area until policemen intervened to stop them.

    The case was adjourned to 24th March, 2018 for further hearing.

    Read Also: Magistrate’s absence stalls cyber cafe operator’s trial

  • Police arrest taxi drivers for raping, robbing victim

     

    The police have nabbed two taxi drivers for raping and robbing their female passenger in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    The suspects identified as Nathan Ogbara, 33 and Justin Amos, 32 were arrested at Tombia Roundabout Yenagoa while fleeing the crime scene.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, said the mobile handset of the victim was recovered from the suspects.

    He said: “On 1st April 2018, at about 0200hrs, police were alerted that a young girl was sexually assaulted and her phone was stolen from her by two men operating a taxi, at opposite Jubilee hotel, Kpansia, Yenagoa.

    “The victim ‘name withheld’ ‘f’ 22 years, reported that she contacted one Nathan Ogbara ‘m’ 33 years a taxi driver to drop her at her house at Agudama Epie, after she participated in a dance competition at a car wash.

    “The suspect, called one Justin Amos ‘m’ 32 years also a taxi driver to joined him. Along the road, opposite Jubilee hotel, the suspects parked their cars and dragged the girl to a nearby bush and raped her. They took her GSM phone and zoomed off towards Tombia Roundabout.

    “Consequently, a police patrol team arrested the suspects and recovered the stolen GSM handset. Their taxis have been impounded and investigation is ongoing.

    “In a bid to rid Bayelsa State  of criminal elements, the Command Strike Force Team and other Tactical teams introduced by the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command CP Don Awunah, are yielding positive results, as the response time to distress calls has been drastically reduced.

    “Members of the public are advised to promptly report any incident to the police, as the police command poised  to reduced crime to the bearest minimum in the state”.

  • Cultists risk 20-year-jail term in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Government, on Monday, took its war against cultism to a different level following the signing of the Secret Cult, Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Bill 2018 into law, by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    The new law prescribes 20-year-jail term without an option of fine for anybody convicted of cultism-related offences.

    Assenting to the amended law in Government House, Dickson lamented the rise in cult and other related activities in the state, especially in Yenagoa and its environs.

    He stressed that, with the amendment, the law enforcement agencies had been empowered to deal decisively with suspected cultists and their sponsors.

    Dickson explained that, the amendment to the law, which had existed since May, 2012, was to check the rise in cult activities among youths.

    He said the amendment was necessary to give the law enforcement agencies more powers to proactively protect lives and property as well as safeguard the future of the state.

    The law also empowers the police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct search on the homes of suspected cultists and sponsors, even without warrant.

    The amendment prescribes that buildings and premises used for cult, activities, initiations as well as the storage of arms and dangerous weapons should be forfeited to the government.

    Read Also: Suspected cultists, police clash in Bayelsa

    The law further empowers the state government to destroy such buildings and premises, without any compensation to its owners.

    The governor called on landlords and property owners not to allow criminals and cultists to turn their property into centre of crime and criminality.

    He urged Bayelsans to report all suspicious and cult related activities to the appropriate authorities.

    Dickson said: “As a government we cannot allow this ugly trend of events to continue unabated.  A situation where children below 15, 16, 17 and majority of our youth population are members of one dangerous cult group or society, where they carry guns and other weapons and shoot, maim, kill  and create insecurity in parts of the State is totally unacceptable. As a responsible government, we must put an end to this and it has to be now.’’

    In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, said the new law repositioned the state in the fight against cultism and cult-related activities in the country.

    “With the amendments, we believe the police now have the comprehensive powers to confront crime and criminality head-on because most crimes in the state are cult-related”.

     

  • Suspected cultists burn police division in Bayelsa

    Suspected cult members desperate to free a detained member of their gang on Tuesday set ablaze the Oporoma Police Division in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

    Our reporter gathered that the cult member who was on Police wanted list for various crimes including kidnapping, sea robbery, armed robbery and acts of pipeline vandalism was being temporarily detained at the Oproma Division when his gang members struck to free him.

    Community sources in Southern Ijaw said that the timely reinforcement by security agencies deployed to protect oil facilities in the area saved the situation.

    The Spokesman of the Police Command in Bayelsa, DSP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident, said that a policeman on guard duty shot at the detained suspect to prevent his escape from lawful custody.

    “The suspect was arrested and detained at the Oporoma Police Division, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, preparatory to being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yenagoa.

    “The suspect on March 21, 2018 attempted to escape from lawful custody and was shot by the police officer on duty.

    “Other members of the suspected cult group mobilised and attacked officers on duty at the police division and set it ablaze.

    “Additional policemen were deployed to restore normalcy in the community.

    “There seems to be emergence of cases of cult activities in Bayelsa; we call on members of the public to volunteer useful information and  to assist the police to tame the trend of cult activities amongst the youths in Bayelsa,” Butswat said.

    Reports have it that on Nov. 7, 2017 some 10 suspected armed robbers and cult members that were detained by the Special Anti Robbery Squad cell (SARS) in Yenagoa broke free from detention and escaped.

    NAN.

    Read Also: Police arrest most wanted ‘criminal’

     

  • PIND to enlighten public on safe water practices

    The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta ( PIND ), will on March 22nd, host a public enlightenment event
    on issues and solutions to safe and sustainable water practices.

    This event will be held at at the Township School, Ovom, Yenagoa to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the World Water Day in partnership with the Rotary Club of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and P&G International.

    The importance of the event is to educate the local community and government stakeholders in the Niger Delta and inspire action in adoption of practices and models that meets the globally accepted standards for sustainable access to water.

    PIND’s Knowledge and Communications Manager, Chichi Nnoham-Onyejekwe said the event, which will be attended by over 100 students and teachers from the local community, Rotary Clubs, Bayelsa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Bayelsa State Government, and other development partners,will create public awareness on the nexus between water, livelihoods and the resources for growth and development in the Delta, as well as showcase some locally appropriate and readily available technologies for making water safe for use at the household and community level.

    ’’Access to good water management practices are huge issues in the Niger Delta. This contributes to very high water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related disease burden with its attendant health and economic impacts.

    “Better WASH practices and facilities would help reduce the disease burden and ultimately improve productivity in the region,’’ Nnoham-Onyejekwe said.

    Nnoham-Onyejekwe went further to explain that the public awareness event which derives its 2018 theme from the World Water Day tagged ‘Nature of Water’ will feature presentations on the need for behaviour change as a means of protecting water resources in the Niger Delta, and share insights on what PIND and its partners have learnt from implementing nature-based solutions on access to sustainable water interventions that could be replicated and scaled up by more stakeholders.

    This would be followed by a robust reflection session on the ‘Nature of Water’ and a demonstration of simple water purifying technologies for students and teachers who play a critical role as change agents for the wider community.