Niger Delta

Group Tasks Youth On Rice Farming

Published

11 years ago

March 17, 2014

The Bayelsa chapter of
Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has advised youths to embrace agriculture as part of their contribution towards the fight against unemployment.
The South-South Chairman of the association, Mr Ezekiel Ogbianko gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa recently.
Ogbianko said that agriculture, particularly rice farming, had the potential to reduce unemployment to the barest minimum.
“I urge the potential farmer, especially youths, to take up rice farming as a way of supporting government’s efforts in job creation.”
He expressed optimism that dry season rice farming would help in creating jobs for unemployed youths in Bayelsa.
”Right now, we have about 40 youths working with us in the 40,000 hectares of land that we have acquired.
“We are calling on young farmers to come and register, to accelerate the development of dry season farming which was launched by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“RIFAN Bayelsa Chapter is working hard to create the enabling environment to make agriculture, especially rice farming more attractive.
“Farming is not only for the elderly ones. As in other sectors, agriculture is also receiving modern techniques and methods.
“We have partnered with the Niger-Delta Basin Development Authority to reach our target goals in dry season rice farming,” Ogbianko said.

Niger Delta

C’River Focused On Youth Empowerment – Commissioner

Published

5 mins ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The Government of Cross River State says it has initiated three flagship programmes aimed at engaging youths in the state, and to discourage crime.

The state Commissioner for Youth Development and Skills Acquisition, Mr. Ijom Ukam, made this known in an interview with The Tide’s source in Calabar.

He listed the programmes as: skill-in-the-hand initiative, one youth two skills programme, the back-to-land initiative.

He said the three programmes were aimed at creating opportunities for the youths to excel in their chosen endeavours.

According to Ukam, the programmes will also provide sustainable means of livelihood for the growing population of youths in the state, adding that about 1500 youths have benefitted from these programmes.

“One of the programmes is called skills-in-the-hands initiative. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that every youth possesses at least two skills, regardless of their educational background.

“This approach serves as a replacement for “Food on the Table”, that enrolled hundreds of youths onto the state’s payroll, providing them with salaries for the duration of the administration.

“We also have the ‘One Youth, Two Skills’ programme, which is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development of Abuja, and then we also have the ‘Back-to-Land initiative’.

“These three flagship initiatives are geared towards engaging our young people productively.

“Now, you will understand with me that we cannot guarantee employment for all the young people who are seeking employment.

“But we try to make sure that we can supplement the government’s effort in terms of employment by creating opportunities for young people to learn skills”, he said.

The commissioner said the youths are not just trained in various aspects of skills, but are also exposed to sources of funding and, in some cases, provided with startup capital.

He noted that in achieving this, the state went into partnership with some organisations such as Lafarge, NDDC, Skyrun International.

Ukam noted that the training on various skills was not limited to Nigeria, adding that some trainees have also been sent abroad.

He said government aims to train thousands of youths in various skills as part of efforts to empower young people, create wealth, and reduce youth restiveness in the state.

Niger Delta

Ex-IYC President Lampoons Atiku’s Presidential Ambition … Declares It Negative Impact On N’Delta

Published

5 mins ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

Former President of the umbrella Ijaw Youths body, the Ijaw Youths Council (Worldwide), Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has urged former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to forgo his presidential ambition come 2027.

The ex-youth leader and former Labour Party’s (LP) Governorship candidate in the 2023 governorship election in the state made this known recently while speaking with newsmen.

He described Atiku as a serial failure, noting that the erstwhile Vice President’s bids to occupy the nation’s seat of power has done untold damage to the development of the Niger Delta region.

“Atiku’s ambition has destroyed the reputation of some of the respected leaders of the Niger Delta region. Moreso his ambition is insensitive, desperate and is threatening the peace of the country”, he said.

While explaining how Atiku’s Presidential ambition had negatively impacted the Niger Delta region, Eradiri stressed that the late former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was humiliated, suffered and died because of his relationship with Atiku.

The Tide learnt that the former IYC President once served as Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa.

“Remember that the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori ‘s political alliance with Atiku was part of the reason he was thrown into jail.

“Atiku was part of those who teleguided the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, gave him deceptive assurances that worsened his ordeal.

“At the buildup to the 2023 election, Atiku’s inordinate ambition and his desperation plunged Delta State into huge debts as he used former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to bankroll his campaigns in exchange for Vice-presidential ticket.

“His ambition destroyed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and attempted to destabilise the country by ignoring the zoning arrangement of the presidency between the north and the south.

“Atiku demonstrated the highest level of desperation, unreasonableness and lack of patriotism in 2023 when he cornered the Presidential ticket of the PDP to retain power in the North despite former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office.

“I want to call on Alhaji Abubakar to demonstrate statesmanship by jettisoning his ambition to be President of Nigeria. This call is not political, it’s borne out of unbiased assessment of the damage his ambition has caused the people of the Niger Delta”, Eradiri added.

He alleged that till date, Delta State was still indebted financially because of former governor Okowa’s association with Atiku’s ambition, saying that 2027 was still the turn of Southern Nigeria to retain power after the North had done two terms, but that Atiku was still insisting on becoming the President and today opposition has been alienated because of Atiku.

“The PDP is in tatters today because of Atiku. Therefore, it is clear that Atiku’s ambition is bringing untold hardship especially for us in the Niger Delta. It’s creating the problem that is destabilising the Nigerian polity.

“Every society needs a virile opposition for the ruling party to sit up. But Atiku’s ambition has dealt a deadly blow on PDP, which many people relied upon to provide this opposition.

“The country would be more peaceful and the rising tension will also be toned down if Atiku supports the South to complete their tenure”, the ex-IYC President said.

Niger Delta

NDLEA Intercepts 584.171kg Hard Drugs In Bayelsa … Arrests 559 Suspects

Published

5 mins ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Command of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says it intercepted 584.171kg of various components of illicit hard drugs in the State within the past one year.

The NDLEA also said about 559 suspects were arrested and 31 cases charged to Court within the same period.

The State’s Commander and Controller of Narcotics, CN Kanu Chukwuemeka, disclosed this during a media parley as part of activities held to commemorate the 2025 World Day against Drug Abuse (WDDA) and Illicit Trafficking in Yenagoa, the State capital, themed ”The Evidence is Clear, Invest in Prevention.”

The Commander described this year’s theme as apt, saying it aligns with the agency’s efforts in creating a drug abuse-free society.

“This year’s WDDA is being celebrated with a clarion call for collective action to combat the menace of substance abuse.

“In the past one year, here in Bayelsa State, the NDLEA has successfully rehabilitated 25 clients with addiction problem. We’ve also conducted 693 integrity drug tests”, he said.

CN Chukwuemeka expressed worries that the non-availability of gunboats was a major setback to effective operations of the agency in the far-flung riverine areas of the state.

He also emphasized that to address the challenges posed by the lack of gunboats for operations in the riverine communities of the state, the Command was intensifying efforts to acquire one to enhance its capacity for effective coverage and patrol those parts of the state.

“The Command is working in synergy with other security agencies to rid the state of banned and illicit drugs and substances.

“We like to express our gratitude to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for donating two brand new operational vehicles to the Command.

“We also want to appreciate the support and commitment of the government and people of the State in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking”, the NDLEA boss added.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa