Business

Bayelsa Pays N6bn On Contracts …As NYSC Loses 8 Members

Published

14 years ago

June 15, 2012

Bayelsa State Government, has released the sum of N6 billion to three construction companies for the completion of the three senatorial road projects in the state.

At the presentation of the cheques in Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson, urged the contractors to give the people quality jobs.

The governor also signed two bills passed by the state House of Assembly into law.

The presentation of the N6 billion to the contractors marked the commencement of infrastructural development under the new administration in Bayelsa State.

The breakdown of the funds shows that N2billion was released to Julius Berger for the construction of Yenagoa-Oporoma road, representing the Central Senatorial road project, N2.5billion for the construction of the Sagbama/Ekeremor road in the West Senatorial road to Setraco and N1.5billion to China Construction and Company, for the Etegwe–Tombia road.

The Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure,Mr.Lawrence Erudkapo,said the three multinational construction companies were carefully selected based on their proven integrity and that the Etegwe-Tombia road would be built with eight bridges.

In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson,said the construction of the roads would open up the riverine communities for development.

He said the government was committed to transforming Bayelsa State.

The Governor also signed two bills recently passed by the State House of Assembly into law.

The new laws are the Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science Re-Establishment Law 2012 and Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day 2012.

Governor Dickson said the College of Arts and Science would now take-off from the Science Secondary School along Okaka Road after an upgrade of facilities.

He renewed the commitment of the present administration to develop the education sector.

Earlier, while presenting the bills in company of other lawmakers,the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr.Kombowei Benson,said the legislature would work hard to support the executive arm to succeed in its task to transform the state.

Meanwhile, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Delta State has said that five of its corps members who served in the 2011 Batch ‘B,’ lost their lives during the service year.

The state Coordinator of the scheme, Mrs Vivian Omeruo, disclosed this yesterday in Asaba at the passing out parade of 2011 Batch B corps members.

She, however, said that their deaths, which occurred “through various unfortunate circumstances, were heroic as they died in active service”.

Omeruo also said that 25 corps members were pencilled down for various sanctions ranging from repeat of service to extension of service for various disciplinary conducts.

She said that out of the 25 corps members, nine who absconded would repeat the service year.

The coordinator said the names of the nine corps members had already been forwarded to the National Directorate of the NYSC for ratification.

She said the remaining 16 would have extension of service for periods ranging from two weeks to four months.

In Jigawa, NYSC Coordinator, Mr Ishaya Dede, expressed satisfaction that corps members posted to the state were safe.

He said that recently, 200 corps members voluntarily re-deployed from neighbouring states to Jigawa because of the peace enjoyed in the state.

“Jigawa is a small state, yet we have more corps members now than Kano and some other states in the North.

“This is because some of them were re-deployed here for safety, good welfare and better facilities in our orientation camp,” he said.

Dede said that out of 1,500 corps members, who passed out, 12 of them received the state Governor’s award, while names of 30 others, who contravened the NYSC Act had been forwarded to the headquarters for further action.

In his remarks, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa lauded the contributions of the NYSC in the state to the campaign against HIV and AIDS, polio virus and mass illiteracy among others.

In Bayelsa, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Abdulrasheed Abiodun, said three corps members died during the service year, while the services of 12 others were extended for truancy.

Meanwhile, 30 out of the 906 corps members, who served in Gombe State were honoured with awards, according to Mr Teryima Igyuse, the state Coordinator of the scheme.

He listed the award to include 20 certificates of merit and 10 certificates of commendation for participation in community development service.

He said the best female among the award winners received the First Lady Hajiya Adama Dankwambo’s award.

Igyuse said four corps members, who absconded from service would repeat the service year, while the service of two others would be extended.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.