News
nesty Programme Debuts In Delta
Delta State yesterday witnessed its first success in the presidential amnesty deal with militants as large cache of arms and ammunition were surrendered to the amnesty team at Obotobo 1 community in Ogulagha kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of the state by a coalition of militant groups.
The arms which included two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 23 AK 47, four FN and 14 G3 rifles were yesterday turned in by a coalition of militants in Delta state in line with Federal Government’s amnesty programme.
Other weapons are one Sub Machine Gun (SMG), seven single barrel Pump Action guns, 12 pieces of dynamites, 69 assorted magazines, 84 cartridges and array of 7.62 mm special and ordinary ammunition.
Leaders of the three militant groups are ‘Gen.’ Bonny Gawei of Gawei Camp, in whose house the arms surrender took place, ‘Gen.’ Nabena Young of Seashore Freedom Fighters and ‘Gen.’ Aboy Francis of the Niger Delta Liberation Movement, whose arms surrender ceremony was earlier scheduled for last Tuesday but did not take place as government’s amnesty team failed to show up.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Timi Alaibe, who praised the groups for their exemplary courage said the event which is the first in Delta state since the proclamation of amnesty by President Umaru Yar’Adua in August would further deepen the concern of the President on the Niger Delta situation.
He said, “These young men have done a noble and right thing. They have not shown weakness but courage because the strong are the courageous and I bring Mr. President’s message of sincerity and commitment to this process. Mr. President has challenged us severally to disarm and see “what I will do to develop the Niger Delta”.
“By what you have done today, you have keyed into the process of amnesty and now that you have disarmed, we have listened to your priorities as they were delivered in your speech, sustainable development priorities and we shall convey them to Mr. President”, Alaibe said.
Also, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Lucky Ararile whille urging other militants in the region to emulate the courage of those who have dropped their arms posited that the only thing that denies the people of development is crises, adding that the time is now.
A representative of Delta state governor, Dafe Akpedeye stated that the only way to achieve meaningful development was the exemplary display of the youths who agreed to surrender their arms and the embrace the presidential amnesty deal, saying that the militants have been keyed into state government’s programme.
Earlier, a Spokesperson for the coalition of militants, Mr. Ebiware Opori, in a six-point demand called for practical development of the region, including road network, hospitals, schools, industries etc), human capital development via capacity training/ sustainable development programmes, provision of scholarships, genuine rehabilitation programme for freedom fighters by giving the youths the opportunity to manage the security of companies operating in their domain in order to avoid criminal elements sabotaging their sincere efforts.
Others are the allocation of slots for marine equipment and general supplies to them by companies operating in the region as they said this would create an atmosphere of harmonious relationship between the host communities and the multinationals, thereby alleviating the scourge of pipeline vandalism and checking illegal oil bunkering.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.