Niger Delta

Delta Community Protests Against Chevron

Published

7 years ago

June 10, 2019

The people of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State at the weekend urged Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to quench the fire in Ikpalakpalabou oil well and embark on assessment of the toxic effects on residents and the immediate environment as well as pay varying monetary sums as compensation for the disaster.
The people made the call at a peaceful protest following the recent fire outbreak four days ago which has been degrading the land and life of the people.
National President of the community, Ebilate Mac-Yoroki, in a presentation co-signed by Secretary of Polobubou, Midwest Kukuru, said, “As we speak, there is a thick cloud of smoke over Polobubo, constantly raining soot and oil on our people. In this current situation, the oil-well fire has caused Polobubou and its people so much pains, loss and is leaving so much damage behind.
“Chevron should immediately send qualified medical doctors to start attending to all the sick and weak in the community.
“We don’t need to die before they will believe that their activities are seriously affecting us adversely. We need clean potable water urgently because even the ones we currently drink have been polluted from their sources.
“We urgently need all sorts of food stuffs because we no longer have access to our main source of livelihood; fishing, which is also our main source of food. Hunger is worsening in the community.
“We need Chevron to, with immediate effect, embark on a process of cleaning the waters within and surrounding the community immediately.
“This is because they provide life for seafood, it is still the only means of recreation for our children, but as it is currently polluted by crude oil and gas, we can’t fish, just as our children cannot swim in it. It is almost a ‘concentration camp’ experience for us currently.
“We are a community of peaceful and hardworking people, but besides the fact that Chevron has refused to give our people jobs, the natural environment that ought to have been their source of livelihood has been taken away from them by the activities of the company. In the light of this, we demand that Chevron pays compensation to every member of Polobubou.”
Mac-Yoroki also said Chevron Nigeria Limited should provide them with potable water, food, medical aid among other things.
He said they are hungry and in dire need of medical attention, stressing that the fire has polluted their lands.
Mac-Yoroki said, “Our water and food sources”has been polluted by the fire.
He lamented the “unfair treatment” the people have suffered despite its peaceful disposition towards Chevron Nigeria Limited.
“All entreaties to Chevron to save our from the toxic effects of this fire have yielded no result. A much more grievous injustice by this company that has feigned friendship, against our ever-welcoming and peaceful people is the ongoing attempt to cede our land to Ondo state and thereby fan another needless ethnic crisis,” he said.
In his reaction, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro assured the people that the state government will not later than next Tuesday, send a delegation that may include CNL officials to assess the damage and proffer possible solutions to the issues raised.
He appreciated the community and its leadership for toeing the line of peace.
The Deputy Governor stated that while the State Government is aware of the fire incident, it also knows that the oil company is “making some frantic efforts towards getting that fire off”.
“I want to assure you that the Delta state government, led by Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, is a responsive government; a government that responds to the yearnings of its people and just like you have said, there is an issue and I want to say that between now and Tuesday next week, we will send a high power Delta state government team, possibly in collaboration with Chevron Nigeria Limited, to see, first hand, what the issues are, with a view to addressing some of them,” he said.

Niger Delta

Eno Recommits To Private Sector Investments

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, says his administration will continue to promote private sector investments in order to enhance economic prosperity.

Eno, who stated this recently at the inauguration of a new Zenith Bank branch in Uyo, said private sector growth was critical to employment generation and the overall development of the State.

He said his long-standing business relationship with Zenith Bank exposed him to the critical roles that banks could play in supporting private sector growth.

“The bank played a laudable role in the growth of Royalty Hotels, a brand I pioneered and led until I joined public service.

“It is my hope that the bank will accord the same support to other private sector investments in the state, be it micro, small or medium-scale enterprise”, he said.

Earlier, the Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank PLC, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, described the new business office as a significant milestone in the life of the bank.

She thanked successful administrations in the state for their support to the bank over the years, saying, ”We thank the Governor for creating a conducive environment for business to thrive.

“We opened our first branch in Akwa Ibom about 25 years ago, we have enjoyed a very good relationship with the government and people of the state.

“Akwa Ibom stands out as a major business friendly state. The state is clean, accommodating, and fast developing, we commend the government for this”, she said.

The Zenith Bank chief reiterated the bank’s commitment to sustain its partnership with the government and people of Akwa Ibom in order to make mutually impactful and meaningful progress.

She urged business owners in the state, especially women, to leverage the initiatives being offered by the bank to grow their businesses.

Niger Delta

Delta Prioritises Primary Healthcare Over Flyover Projects

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Delta Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening primary healthcare services across the state, dismissing claims that it was focusing more on visible infrastructure projects than grassroots healthcare delivery.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, made the clarification while reacting to comments by health influencer, Aproko Doctor.

Aproko Doctor recently suggested on social media that political leaders often prioritised flyovers and modern hospitals while neglecting primary healthcare centres.

Onojaeme said the claim did not reflect the situation in Delta, noting that healthcare remained a central pillar of the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori administration’s development agenda.

According to him, although road projects and flyovers are visible across the state, deliberate investments have also been made in healthcare infrastructure and services.

He said that within two years, the state government had renovated 150 primary healthcare centres across the three senatorial districts out of the 441 public health facilities in the state.

According to him, another 150 centres are already undergoing planning and preparation for renovation.

“The effort will bring the number of upgraded primary healthcare centres to 300, thereby improving access to quality healthcare at the community level and reducing pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals,” he said.

The commissioner said that the state’s free maternal and under-five healthcare programme continued to yield positive results, including reductions in maternal and infant mortality, while easing financial burdens on families.

“Gov. Oborevwori recently approved the release of N2 billion to sustain the programme, alongside regular funding to strengthen Universal Health Coverage in the state,” he said.

Onojaeme also said that state-owned hospitals were granted autonomy to retain and utilise their internally generated revenue, enabling them to procure drugs, maintain equipment and respond more efficiently to patient needs.

“In specialised healthcare delivery, dialysis machines have been installed in state hospitals, helping to reduce waiting time for treatment while lowering dialysis costs from about N70,000 to N45,000 per session,” he said.

He said that CT scan machines installed at Warri Central Hospital and Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, were already improving diagnosis of conditions such as stroke and internal injuries.

“While newly procured echocardiography machines are strengthening early detection of heart-related conditions.”

The commissioner said the government had ordered three Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines for installation at Asaba Specialist Hospital, Central Hospital Warri and DELSUTH, Oghara, ensuring coverage across the three senatorial districts.

“While some states do not have a single MRI machine, Delta State is procuring three at once, with delivery expected by April as site preparations are ongoing,” he said.

Onojaeme said the government was establishing a new College of Health Sciences in Ovrode, Isoko North Local Government Area, to complement the existing institution in Ofuoma and boost the training of middle-level health manpower.

“The long-abandoned Mother and Child Hospital in Ekpan was nearing completion, while another Specialist Hospital was being developed in Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area, modelled after the Asaba Specialist Hospital.

According to him, Delta remains the only state in the country with more than 60 functional government-owned hospitals, adding that the current administration is determined to further expand healthcare access.

On health insurance, Onojaeme said enrollment under the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme had surpassed 2.78 million residents as of January 2026, making it one of the leading state-supported health insurance programmes in the country.

He explained that the scheme covered both formal and informal sector workers, while prioritising vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children under five and the elderly, through the Equity Health Plan.

The commissioner added that the scheme recently enrolled 10,000 widows and continues to register indigent residents across the state.

He also disclosed that the Delta State Contributory Health Commission had introduced facial recognition technology at accredited facilities to improve efficiency and transparency in service delivery.

Onojaeme reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage and delivering affordable and accessible healthcare services to residents across the state.

Niger Delta

C’River Assembly Seeks Crackdown On Drug Abuse

Published

3 days ago

February 13, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State House of Assembly has urged the State Government to urgently enforce drug laws to curb the rising menace of substance abuse.

The resolution followed a matter of urgent public importance raised by Yakurr I lawmaker, Mr. Cyril Omini, during plenary in Calabar.

Omini cited a tragic incident in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, involving a 23-year-old man allegedly under the influence of drugs.

He said the suspect, Ubi Bassey, allegedly beheaded his father, Bassey Okoi, on February 2.

“Drug abuse has become widespread among youths, with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine and tramadol commonly abused.

“In spite of warnings by health and government agencies, illicit drug trading and consumption persist across many communities”, Omini said.

According to him, the trend has led to early deaths and, in extreme cases, violent crimes against innocent persons.

Omini warned the incident had caused fear in Ugep, cautioning that failure to act decisively could worsen social decay.

He, however, commended the State Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Okoi Obono (rtd), for efforts to restore peace in the area.

Lawmakers called for sustained drug sensitisation, youth-focused campaigns, stronger partnerships with non-governmental organisations, and stricter enforcement against drug peddlers and users.

The Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, expressed sadness over the incident and urged prompt prosecution of the suspect to deter other youths.