News
Chevron Renews GMoU With Idama Community
Chevron Nigeria Limited, the operators of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture has renewed its Global Memorandum of Understand with the Rivers State government and the Idama Regional Development Council (IRDC), representing the people of Idama Ekuloma, one of the communities bordering one of their facilities in Rivers State.
Speaking during the ceremony to mark the signing of the GMoU last week, Mr. Joe Jakpa, Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, PGPA, Eastern Area Operations of Chevron, who stood in for Engr. Femi Odumabo, General Manager, PGPA, said Chevron was taking another step towards solidifying its participatory partnership agreement for sustainable socio-economic development with communities around its operations in the Niger Delta region.
The event, according to him, marked another turning point in their commitment to strengthen the GMoU community engagement model as a vehicle for sustainable socio-economic development in communities.
“Few community development strategies in the global energy industry offer as much potential for participatory, community-driven socio-economic benefits as the GMOU”, eh said.
Jakpa expressed appreciation over what he called “tremendous support” of the Idama people for the continued progress of the GMoU process and noted that the IRDC has become an example of a worthy ambassador of GMoU that adheres to the fundamental principles of transparency, accountability and sustainability upon which the GMoU stands.
He stated Chevron’s expectation that the GMoU would be a long-term community development catalyst stimulating a sustainable expansion of the economics of the local communities in the Niger Delta and providing significant benefits for the people.
He reiterated the fact that the GMoU could provide a platform for enhancing peace in the region through constructive dialogue and respect for the rule of law.
He also expressed appreciation to Rivers State governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi for providing the enabling environment for the GMoU to flourish in the state.
The chairman of IRDC, Mr. Nengiam Dokubo in his speech, had good words for the GMoU and stated his expectations for better things to come for his people.
Dignitaries present at the signing ceremony include the permanent secretary in Rivers State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, Representative of NNPC, Davie Ogbebo, a representative of Akuku-Toru LGA, NDDC representative, Bolaji Ogunseye of Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, RSSDA, and the Amadabo of Idama, His Royal Highness, Kingdom Dateme, Okio II.
They all had commendable words for the GMoU and were unanimous in the peaceful disposition of Idama people.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

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.