Niger Delta

PANDEF, HOSTCOM, Others Berate Kyari

Published

4 years ago

September 27, 2021

Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM), and other stakeholders of Niger Delta, recently, disagreed with Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Kele Kyari, over his claim that three per cent for Host Communities Trust Fund was higher than 30 per cent for exploration on Frontier Basin in the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, said: “The statement by Mr Kyari, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, that the three per cent provision for the Host Communities Development Trust in the Petroleum Industry Act is higher than the 30 per cent allocation for Frontier Exploration, is absurd and presumptuous.
According to PANDEF, “How can anyone make such an irrational comparison? It is adding insult to injury, to say the least.
“Oil and gas host communities in Niger Delta bear the brunt of the industry operations. With colossal adverse effects on the region’s hitherto luxurious ecosystem; the indigenous people’s means of livelihood have been grossly degraded, with little, if any, improvement in their standard of living.
“And so, it is awful for anyone to compare, for any reason, the paltry three per cent provision for the Host Communities Trust Fund to the humongous 30 per cent allocation for the nebulous Frontier Exploration Fund. It is baseless and makes no sense.
“Kyari’s expression reflects the uncouth contempt and injustice being carried out against Niger Delta. The nation cannot continue in this trajectory.”
National President, HOSTCOM, Chief Benjamin-Style Tamaranebi, who reacted to the controversy, said: “We keep hearing from Minister of State (Petroleum) and GMD, NNPC, that 30 per cent NNPC profit is lesser than three per cent Host Communities’ operating cost.
“GMD Kyari Mele is entitled to his opinion because we are not privileged to what is happening in the corporation and it is like a cook, who went out to the market to get foodstuff and prepare a meal for guests, the guests only know what was placed before them.
Pere (traditional ruler) of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State and former national chairman, Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, Charles Ayemi-Botu, said: “That is arrant nonsense. Kyari should go and tell that to the marines or to Musa. By the way, what is the rationale in making such arrogant statement? No person in his true sense of reason will make such a ridiculous, unguarded and blasphemous statement.
“He should hide his head in shame, for the opportunity in becoming the Group Managing Director of NNPC without knowing the difference between three per cent and 30 per cent. He may best be described as a round peg in a square hole. We are in government of nepotism and winner takes all syndrome.
“Kyari did not expatiate on the details that informed such unguarded, erratic and stupid statement. Host communities are requesting nothing less than 10 per cent allocation to assuage the age long ecological degradation/devastation, environmental hazards, pollution of our only source of livelihood, our ecosystem has been totally destroyed, acid rains as well as the depletion of the ozone layers bring diseases, culminating in infant mortality/premature death, etc.”
An indigene of oil and gas rich, but neglected Oluasiri clan in Nembe LGA of Bayelsa, Iniruo Wills, said: “That is an utterly irrelevant comparison. It is a mechanical attempt at diverting attention from the gross injustice of treating communities as a nuisance factor.
“The real question is how does three per cent of mere operational expenses compare with the 10 per cent equity originally proposed at the beginning of the PIB journey or with the 10 per cent of profits that it was first watered down to by then President Jonathan and oil minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, before Bukola Saraki’s National Assembly later cannibalised it down to 2.5 per cent of profits, setting the stage for the current crop of executives and legislators to do this final havoc”.
Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, Zik Gbemre, said: “The comparison is immaterial, a meaningful distraction. It is extreme corruption for government to fund oil and gas prospecting. That is the reality Kyari would not mention”.
National president, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Accountability (VATLAD), Mr Emmanuel Igbini, declared: “From my deep knowledge of the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector, I know that data and figures thrown at Nigerians by the International Oil Companies, IOCs, are not credible at all.”
Minority rights activist, Eric Omare, said: “I do not have the statistics as per the total yearly operational cost of oil operations in Nigeria and the NNPC yearly profit on oil. However, the key point in the GMD’s comment, which is correct is that the criteria for arriving at the Host Communities Trust Fund and the Frontier Areas Fund are not same”.
John Okodi-Iyah, an engineering consultant in Akwa Ibom State, said the NNPC boss was economical with the truth.
“They can deceive some of the people sometime or all the time, but not all the people, all the time,” he said.

Niger Delta

C’River Bans VIOs From Road Operations

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has banned the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from road operations across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Out, who made the announcement in Calabar on Saturday, restricted activities of the VIO to office duties.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, the directive followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over high tickets, excessive fines and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.

The Governor, who made other announcements in the sector, said the measures were approved after a meeting with key transport stakeholders.

According to the statement, other announcements made was the reduction of daily ticket fee from N850 to N500, while the penalty for failure to purchase the ticket had also been reduced to N10,000.

“All traffic-related fines be slashed by 50 per cent and must be paid only into designated Cross River State Government accounts.

“Daily ticket for tricycle riders have been reduced from N1,200 to N500. However, every activity of commercial tricycle operators ends at 6 p.m. daily, night operations are permanently banned,” Otu asserted.

He said the review was aimed to ease the burden on drivers and restore order in the state’s transport system.

Speaking further, the Governor said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) would now focus on vehicle registration and sale of tickets at approved rates.

He noted that enforcement officers must operate only in proper uniforms and with verifiable identification.

He directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its activities to statutory traffic management duties.

In addition, the Governor announced that “commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders will no longer purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

“These directives will take effect from March 9, and I urge all residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.”

Speaking to The Tide’s source, some commercial drivers said the statement did not address some activities of TRAMRA such as the illegal “no parking order” for drivers who only pick and drop passengers.

For Johnson Ade, a commercial driver, there should be an official release stating the traffic infractions in the state and the fine for each of them.

He said slashing the fines by 50 per cent was ambiguous, adding that the amounts to be paid for each crime should be clearly stated to prevent criminal elements who posed as government traffic regulatory officials from abusing the directive.

On his part, Mr. Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said they would convene a meeting immediately to critically look at the governor’s statement.

It would be recalled that series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators had led to the suspension of all forms of transport tickets in the state by the government.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Community Seeks Govt Recognition For Elected Village Head

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Some indigenes of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, in Ikpe Annang Clan, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have called on the State Government to recognize Chief Samuel James Udo as the authentic Village Head of the community by according him a Certificate of Recognition.

According to them, the call is necessitated by the fact that Chief Udo has won the first and second election processes on 1st May, 2021 and 15th July 2025.

The indigenes said in addition to his emergence after the two election processes, Chief Udo’s emergence has been confirmed by Chief Akpan Akpa Inyang (Okuku Ikpa Isong Annang), who has handed him (Udo) to “UDAK” as stipulated by the custom and tradition of Annang Land.

They said Udo’s emergence marked the end of every struggle by individuals or groups of persons on the issue of headship of Mbiabong Ikpe Village, Ikpe Annang Land, in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

According to them, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Frank Archibong, should call for the recognition of the Village Head-elect of Mbiabong Ikpe Village in accordance with the Traditional Rulers Council Law of Akwa Ibom State, CAP 134.

This, they said, is because he has been duly and rightly selected by the kingmakers as the village Head-elect and have satisfied all requirements in the extant law for the said selection.

“We are informing the Akwa Ibom State Government of the development, because any imposition of any other name to the Governor will not be accepted by the community”, they said.

Meanwhile, they have alleged that some “enemies of progress are causing problem over the Chieftaincy issue after the winner has emerged and accepted by the entire Kingmakers.”

When contacted the Village Head-elect, Chief Samuel James Udo, advised the people not to cause any crises, saying that their mandate will not be denied.

“I will continue to respect the law. My people are law abiding citizens and God will surely stand for true justice and the certificate will be given to me, not through fighting, causing unrest, or violence, but by our faith in God, and the belief that the relevant authorities will do the needful”, he said.

By: Christopher Tom, Uyo

Niger Delta

Delta Unveils World Book Day Festival

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

The Delta State government on Saturday unveiled the LightRay! Distortion World Book Day Festival.

The festival, themed “That Which Bends, Transcends,” is a major celebration of literature, storytelling, and cultural advocacy in the state.

It was unveiled at the office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Mininim Oseji, in Asaba.

The event was organised by LightRay! Media, in partnership with the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) and Unchained Vibes Africa.

Founder and President of the media group, Ejiro Umukoro, described the event as the first large-scale literary festival in the state.

She explained that the initiative aims to engage both marginalised and privileged communities in dialogue on resilience, hope, and social change through literature.

Highlighting the transformative power of storytelling, Umukoro said literature can inspire action, reshape perspectives, and drive social change within communities.

According to her, the festival builds on the impact of the Distortion novel series produced by LightRay! Media, which explores themes of human resilience, personal agency, and renewal.

She noted that the book has supported social awareness campaigns and legislative advocacy, contributing to the abolition of the Osu caste system in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo.

“The novel has also received literary recognition, including the TYB Young Adult Literature Prize in 2024,” she added.

Umukoro further revealed that the Delta Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has approved Distortion as a recommended literature text for students.

She expressed concern over the poor condition of public libraries across the state, noting that many remain inactive or non-functional.

”Urban libraries also struggle with outdated collections, inadequate infrastructure, and limited professional staffing”, she said.

Umukoro urged stakeholders to rebuild libraries, strengthen reading communities, and equip facilities with modern learning resources.

“The three-month festival will feature competitions, workshops, creative showcases, and professional development programmes, Umukoro said.

The Permanent Secretary in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Wilson Chukwuka, commended the initiative.

The leader of the National Association of Seadogs, Mr. Michael Nwaidei, said the project aligns with efforts to encourage critical thinking and knowledge acquisition among young people.

Nwaidei was represented by a member of the association, Mr. Uche Egbuche.

The Tide’s source reports that guests, educators, creatives, and literary enthusiasts from across the state and diaspora communities attended the festival.