Nation
THE STATES
FCT The National Youth Council of Nigeria recently held an emergency meeting of it executive council at the Youth House, Abuja where its condemned the call on the President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to resign from office due to ill health. It would rather call on all Nigerians especially the youths to pray for his speedy recovery. The meeting where the lingering issues from supremacy and membership tussle of the council’s presidency were discussed, was presided over by the Acting National President Deolu Sotade George. Recently there was a purported meeting and election conducted by non-members led by Mr Akoli Dickson who declared himself President of the Youth Council. In a chat with The Tide, the Ag. President Sotade Goerge said it was the prompt intervention of the law enforcement Agencies that led to the arrest of some hoodlums led by Dickson who invaded the National Youth Council of Nigeria’s secretariat (Youth House) in Abuja, on 4th December, 2009 and stole some valuables including the NYCN Toyota Coaster bus, with registration Number NYCN 04. He called on all Nigerian youth to be calm while the security agencies ensure that the perpetrators are brought justice. At the end of the meeting which lasted several hours, the NYCN executive jointly signed a resolution which includes; that the NEC set up a 6 man congress planning committee with a representative of the ministry to plan the next congress scheduled to hold between 26th and 27th February, 2010, with the responsibility of conducting the bye-election into all vacant positions within the council. Oyo An Oyo-based group, G3, has advised the political elite in Oyo State against fanning embers of negative sentiments, recrimination and destructive tendencies in assessing governance. Rather, it said they should be guided by values such as objectivity thoroughness, and sincerity of purpose, which are the hallmarks of decent, articulate and thoroughly bred elite. At a news conference last week jointly addressed by the President and General Secretary of the group respectively Comrades Isiaka Eweka, and ‘Prince Oluwakayode Afonja, the group commended Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, for impacting positively on the socio-economic lives of the people of the state, especially Oyo town and its environs. The group applauded the leadership role of the council chairman for the distribution of motor cycles and grinding machines to over 1,000 people. However, the group advised critics of the state government not to be visionless and feeble-minded in their thought, but be guided by values such as equal chances for the representation of interest, open debate among alternative view points and platforms, tolerance, fairness, justice, fair play. Ondo The former Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) Prince Raphael Nomiye at the weekend urged repentant militants to sustain the current peace in the Niger Delta region. He assured that President Umaru Yar’Adua would meet all the demands agreed upon with the Niger Delta militants and the Federal Government in its bid to develop the region. Speaking with reporters in Akure shortly after the swearing in ceremony of new executive committee of Ilaye Regional Development Committee (IRDC) Nomiye said Nigerians should continue to pray for President Yar’Adua to facilitate his early recover, stressing that he meant well for the Niger Delta region and the entire country. Nomiye, who is presently the chairman of IRDC, said the past executive members of the group were not ready to leave office after spending the mandatory four years which terminated on Dec. 15, describing their protest against the dissolution and moves to extend their tenure as an aberration. His words: “The position of state government is clear on IRDC, government cannot allow them to go for tenure extension, those protesting against the dissolution were sponsored by the people who wanted to perpetuate themselves in office, they were planning to cause Chaos in the area.” Lagos A former officer with the Nigerian army, Major Ene has accused the Nigerian Secret Service of threatening her teenage daughter. In a chat with our correspondent on Saturday, Major Ene who is currently challenging the Nigerian military for the alleged inhuman treatment he got after fighting in Liberia and Sierra Leone as a member of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group, ECOMOG, said her daughter, Sarah Ofon-Mbuk Ene, is constantly being threatened in her school by the Secret Service. Ofon-Mbuk is a second year student of Banking and Finance at Redeemer’s University and has been receiving threat messages from people he said were agents of the Nigerian military. Ene said: “On several occasions, my daughter receives threat massages and hate calls from people that are suspected state agents. They even threaten to kill her. They usually call her in the dead of the night. When she picks the phone the caller would warn her to tell her father to “back off”. Ene who is currently challenging the Federal Government for ill treatment and for failing to provide him with adequate medical care after bullets were lodged on his body during a bloody encounter with armed rebels in Sierra Leone, said the secret agents are waging what he calls “psychological war’ on his family. Kano Nigerians have been called upon to take active part in the strive to advance the democratisation process and sustain the culture of political pluralism in the country. Making the call in Kano, the Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights Education (CHRICED), Mallam Ibrahim Zikini Ilahi called for popular participation by the citizens in governance and politics. Speaking during the workshop sponsored by German group Miserere tagged. Enhancing Participation and Accountability in Local Governance, Zikinillai said the project is unique and innovative because it addresses the political and structural aspects of democratisation and also attends to the political character of operators of governance just as it seeks to improve the democratic foundation. According to him, for change to be enhanced in Nigeria, there is the need for appropriate institutional mechanism for realizing popular governance and a nursery for its nurturing and development. He said ‘The threats posed by the features and tendencies of unaccountable governance can best be addressed and neutralised by the mass of citizens entering into and becoming a determining force in governance and the political process generally and by their developing and internalising a popular culture of democracy. He observed that for very practical reasons, such popular participation is only of very limited possibility at the national or state level. Only at the level of the local government and through its instrumentality is this type and level of popular political participation possible. Bauchi A non governmental organisation (NGO), the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) in Bauchi has asked Bauchi State government to hasten action in fishing out perpetrators of the recent crisis that engulfed parts of Bauchi metropolis. It also challenged the state government to ensure the perpetrators face appropriate penalty, and appropriate sanctions that should serve as a deterrents to others are put in place without further delay, which it said might be dangerous. The demands were contained in a statement issued and signed by the CLO chairman, Bauchi State chapter, Comrade Musa Mohammed Gani. The CLO also urged the state government to reward ward heads who contained the spread of the crises in their wards, while those known to have partnered with and allowed the miscreants to wreck havoc on innocent and law abiding citizens be severely punished for their roles. Ghani noted with regrets that despite the resources being expended in creating jobs for thousands of youths, the fundamentalists do not seem to appreciate government’s effort in trying to better the peoples live. Niger As encomiums continued on the late former first lady, Maryam Babangida, Senator Isa Mohammed has called on the federal government to name Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna after her. Speaking with Journalists after the seventhday Fidau prayer held for the repose of her soul, Senator Mohammed who was the deputy chairman Senate Committee on Local Government Administration said the only way the country can immortalize her legacies and memories is to name the Federal University of Technology in Mnna after her. Eulogising the virtues of the late First Lady, the lawmaker said that the contributions of Maryam transcende the borders of this country, stressing that lip service should not be paid towards calls for the immortalisation of her name. The prime minister of the Republic of Niger, Alhaji Aliyu Mohommed was in Minna, as he joined millions of sympathisers to condole the former military president General Ibrahim Babangida over the death of his wife, Maryam. The Nigerian leader was accompanied to the seventh day Fidau prayer by the past military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Kaduna The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncorvered no fewer than 57 properties in the country allegedly owned by the sacked Managing Director of Oceanic Bank Plc, Mrs Cecilia Ibru. According to a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna, the properties are located in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. The statement specifically said that one of the properties is housing the visa section of the British Embassy in Abuja, while another include 15,000 square meters of land at Okunade water front Victoria Island in Lagos. Some of the properties are a 12 storey tower in one hectare of land at Ozumba Mbadiwe water front Victoria Island Lagos, three residential towers in Port Harcourt GRA, Metro Plaza Abuja where the British visa section is located a residential block of 19 apartments in 34 Bourdillon Road, Ikogi, 35B Isule Eko Avenue, Dolphin Ikoyi, and 103 hectares of land in Lagos. Others are mansions in 3 Okotie-Eboh, Ikoyi, I0A Sobo Arubrodu Street Ikeja; a storey building at 50 Marina, Lagos; seven properties in 5A George Street Ikoyi; other properties in 5B, 4B George, Street and 15, square metres of land at Okunade water front, Victoria Island Lagos. Benue National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Dr Jerry Agada has said that Nigerians would start to enjoy the benefits of over two years of planning by the Yar’Adua administration in 2010. Addressing pressmen in Makurdi he said that most of the plans initiated by the Yar’Adua administration since its inception in 2007 are matured and are ripe for manifestation. Agada who was Minister of State for Education said that he was privy to general concrete plans that are on the verge of fruition. He said that President Yar’Adua is not an administrator that believes in playing to the gallery, noting that the president believes in careful planning before commencement of execution. The ANA boss advised Nigerians not to take seriously those politicians of the health of the president through calls for his resignation, saying what the president needs is prayers to recover and handle his duties. Plateau The church in Nigeria has not contributed significantly to the overall development of the nation. This was the view expressed by the chairman, planning committee of the Annual Nigeria Christian Fair 2010, Prof John Brown. According to Brown, “we cannot say very satisfactory. But to a certain extent, the church in Nigeria is trying to move this country forward. But we are not yet there. We are just on the way. The journey has stared and we are hoping to be there,” he added. Speaking on the Fair coming up in Abuja next year, he said, “where the church has failed the nation is that the church has condoned a number of corrupt politicians. “The church invites these politicians when they are having launchings in their churches and then these politicians may donate million of naira. But nobody will ask them where do you get these millions from.”
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi