Niger Delta

Wike, Not Insensitive To Ogoni Plight -Nsirim

Published

7 years ago

August 26, 2019

The Rivers State Government has debunked claims that it is not sensitive to the plight of the Ogoni people, noting that some of the major infrastructural projects undertaken by the current administration are sited in the area.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim disclosed this last Saturday, during a live Radio programme in Port Harcourt monitored by The Tide.
Nsirim was reacting to insinuations by some Ogoni stakeholders that Governor Wike was yet to visit the area despite the spate of violence that has led to loss of lives and destruction of some property in some communities there.
While insisting that security is the business of all, he stated that the support Governor Nyesom Wike has given to the security agencies is unprecedented across the country, saying Wike has shown leadership in steering the ship of state.
According to Nsirim, “We need to make this point very clear. The Governor as an individual cannot fight insecurity. Security is a collective business. And he has shown leadership. He stands as one Governor who has given the highest support to security agencies in this country.
“A few weeks ago, Operation Sting was launched and if you were there, you will see the massive kind of resources government has put into that operation. It is a comprehensive chain of the security architecture in this state.
“Now results are coming and because of that, a few days ago, he had to give additional 40 patrol vans to the police force. That is a governor that has political will to tackle insecurity. And the Governor is doing what he is supposed to do.
“For people to say that the Governor is not doing enough…… The Governor is not the police, he is not the Department of State Services (DSS), he is not the Armed Forces and he is not the Nigeria Securities and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
“He (Wike) will put in the political machinery, the support of government at all times. And he has done that within the last four years and he is still doing that. The Governor is a lover of the Ogoni people and he has demonstrated that in political appointments, in development projects.
“One of the biggest road infrastructure that is going on in this state now is linking Ogoni communities. So many things are happening in Ogoni land. And the Governor as a patriot will continue to carry the interest of Ogoni people in the governance of this state,” Nsirim stated.
The Permanent Secretary expressed the need for all stakeholders to close ranks and ensure that bad elements within the society are identified and handed over to the appropriate authorities so that peace will reign.
“The truth of the matter is that security is our collective business. We need to work together as a people and then ensure that the bag eggs within our society are exposed and handed over to the security agencies,” he advised.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

24 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

24 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

24 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.