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Ogoni Youth Endorse New Oil Firm To Replace Shell

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League of Gokana Community Youth Leaders has endorsed the decision of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers to allow the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
The youth leader said this at the end of an extra-ordinary meeting held at the palace of the Gbenemene of Gokana in Biara.
A communiqué made available to newsmen at the end of the meeting, stressed the need for Ogonis to adopt the declaration made by the Ogoni traditional rulers during their meeting on February 2, 2015 at Korokoro, which endorsed Belema Oil to resume oil exploration in Ogoni.
The youth said that Gokana, with the largest oil wells in Ogoni, have accepted the postion of chiefs, elders, women and youth on the choice of Belema Oil.
The youth also said that no other companies or company shall be welcomed in Gokana land, stressing that all anti-Belema movement in the area would be rebuffed.
The communiqué, which was read by the Youth President of Kegbara Dere Community, Mr. Norteh Meebari Morgan, warned those peddling rumours against Belema Oil working to create division among the people to desist from it or be exposed.
“Belema Oil is a dream builder, and we, the youth have heard of the Belema story and are motivated because we believe many more Belemas will spring up in our land,” they said.
On his part, the President of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), Comrade Victor Promise Wisdom, said that the youth group has resolved to engage Belema Oil, adding “lets see what he has for the youth”.
He stressed that NYCOP will be part of the decision taken at Ogoni Congresses in relation to Belema Oil in Ogoniland.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Mr. Celestine Akpobari has dismissed claims by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that, the indigenous company (Belema Oil Company) recently seeking to resume oil exploration in Ogoniland belong to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, and Senator Magnus Abe of Rivers South East Senatorial District.
Akpobari debunked the claim last Saturday in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt following comments by the Director of Communication of PDP Governorship Campaign Organisation in Rivers State, Barr. Emma Okah, that Belema Oil Company was owned by Governor Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe, who have reportedly pushed for the firm to replace Shell Company oil exploration in Ogoniland in Rivers State.
Akpobari said, the oil company belongs to a Kalabari person from Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, and described the PDP allegation as baseless and untrue.
Akpobari urged the PDP leadership to verify their facts before going public to avoid portraying the party as deceitful.
According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan had the final say in any oil company to replace Shell, asking, is it possible that the President would wish to allocate the Ogoni oil wells to his opponent’s company, assuming that Governor Amaechi and Senator Abe owned Belema Oil Company?.
“Politicians, especially those in PDP should know that, Rivers people are not ignorant and tools, politicians should stop policising issues that have nothing to do with politics.
“Like our chief said, this man (Belema Oil) has been on negotiation with government and Ogoni people over a year now, and we have seen the good plans of the company. Politicians should stop politics of gimmick, PDP just wants to embark on campaign that does not have base and fact, even in the 21st century”, Akpobari said.
He warned politicians against using Ogoni issues to cause crisis among Ogoni people.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Kpean Council of Chiefs, Chief Nwarinee Gilbert called on political parties to desist from using Ogoni oil wells as issue of political campaign in the area.
He explained that, Belema Oil Company started plans to resume oil mining in Ogoni years ago, and that its plan was well articulated which has made the traditional rulers and youth to endorse it.
He challenged companies with better plans to come out, stating that Ogoni People were ready to work with such company.
Gilbert further disclosed that no company will operate in Ogoniland, if the environment is not cleaned up as recommended by UNEP.

 

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (right),  with High Chief Jonah Tamuno and Ogu/Bolo Council Chairman, Hon (Mrs) Maureen Tamuno at the commissioning of an electricity project in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area recently.

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (right), with High Chief Jonah Tamuno and Ogu/Bolo Council Chairman, Hon (Mrs) Maureen Tamuno at the commissioning of an electricity project in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area recently.

Enoch Epelle

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CAS Lauds Troops For Exceptional Performance In South-East Operation

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Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has lauded Nigerian Air Force (NAF) troops for exceptional performance in ongoing Joint Task Force in the South-East code-named “Operation Udo Ka II”.
Abubakar said this yesterday in Enugu during his maiden visit and tour of operational and training assets and facilities within NAF Ground Training Command (GTC), Enugu.
He noted that NAF troops had done exceptionally well and recorded series of success in the joint operation meant to keep the South-East safe and secured for all.
The CAS noted that the GTC Command was highly important to NAF as it housed the ground component (non technical component) as well as a unit of air component necessary to ensure the attainment of the mandate of NAF.
He said: “Today, we are in Enugu, which is the host of the GTC Command in our maiden visit and we are here to interact with the NAF personnel, see the facilities and infrastructure on ground.
“We are also here to encourage the personnel to continue to do the good job they had been doing before now.
“The GTC Command and the Air Training Command are key to all of our activities in NAF and the two commands ensure we have the adequate and skilled manpower for all our activities and operations.
“I am also here to strengthen our activities within Operation Udo Ka II, which Enugu is the headquarters, and see how we can achieve greater successes more than what we are having now and ensure that South-East is totally secured.”
He disclosed that 750 personnel were currently undergoing training and would be graduating between December 2023 and January, 2024.
“These training are important to us in terms of our operation; and the current number is very significant amount of manpower to be injected into our operations and other activities in the country,” he said.
On the inspection in the new GTC Command Headquarters, new 553 Base Services Group (BSG) Headquarters and BSG Annex; Abubakar said that he was quite satisfied and impressed with the pace, level and quality of work done already.
“I have taken out time to inspect the projects and asked questions about the projects and I tell you that I am satisfied with what are on ground and all our assets and facilities are well maintained and protected,” he said.
The NAF boss commended NAF officers, airmen and airwomen in GTC Command for “doing a good job and keeping the flag flying high” as well as extolled their sacrifices and commitment to duties as well.
“I am very happy for their performance. We at the NAF headquarters, we are doing all we can to make sure they have all the necessary support and equipment as well as welfare and accommodation to carry out their jobs effectively,” he said.
He assured NAF personnel of doing more by providing all necessary infrastructures to ensure the maximum working of the GTC Command.
The CAS also inaugurated a renovated airmen’s club and new Mrs Rakiya Abubakar Children’s Park as well as inspected the water treatment and reticulation system and the hospital within NAF Base, Abakpa in Enugu.

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UNIBADAN Lecturer Wins Best Thesis Dollar Prize

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The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), University of Lagos, has announced Dr Muhammad Ribadu as winner of this year’s Rahamon Bello Best Ph.D thesis in African Studies award.
The Director of the institute, Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, made the announcement in a statement issued to newsmen yesterday in Lagos.
Ribadu, of the University of Ibadan, will be rewarded with a total of 1000 dollars, a plaque and a certificate.
Falaiye said a total of 18 entries for the 4th edition of competition were received from various universities in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa
He gave the title of the winning thesis as: The Social Context of Gentrification in Lagos State; Ph.D (Jan. 2023) Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan.
“The first runner up for this competition was Oluwaseyi Popogbe, currently a lecturer at the Department of Economics, Crawford University in Ogun.
“The title of his thesis is: Social Exclusion and Poverty in Selected Coastal Slum Areas in Lagos State; Ph.D (Dec. 2022) Department of Economics University of Lagos.
“The second runner up position went to Dr Charles Akwen, currently a lecturer at the Department of English, University of Lagos.
“Akwen’s thesis is titled: Notions of Identity in the Literary Creativity of Odia Ofeimun and Yang Mu; Ph.D (Dec. 2022) English Literature, University of Lagos,” the director stated.
He said that both the first and second runners up would be awarded plaques and certificates in recognition of their contributions and hard work.
Falaiye noted that the competition was in honour of Prof. Rahamon Bello, who was the 10th Vice Chancellor of the university, at the time the institute was inaugurated.
The prize money is usually donated every year for the award by friends of Prof. Bello.
Falaiye said that Dec, 6, had been fixed for the presentation of the awards.
The Tide source reports that the award was first presented in 2020.

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States, LGs Lack Infrastructure To Manage Ecological Fund, Shun Queries – Perm Sec

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The 36 states of the federation and the 774 local government councils have no structure in place to manage Ecological Fund.
The declaration was made in Abuja, yesterday, by the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office, Malam Shehu Ibrahim.
Ibrahim made the declaration at an interactive session with the House Representatives Committee on Ecological Fund.
He said since states and local governments began to share the fund with the Federal Government they had not been able to put structures in place to manage their share.
The Ecological Fund is an intervention fund by the Federal Government to address the multifarious ecological challenges in various communities in the country.
Ibrahim told the house committee that the sharing of the fund among the three tiers of government followed a court decision.
He said governors and local council chairmen never welcomed queries about how they deployed the ecological funds.
“It is a `no-go’ area,’’ he quipped.
“They don’t want to see officials of the Ecological Project Office near them; so we cannot ask them how they spend the money,’’ he added.
Ibrahim said also that all motions by the National Assembly regarding intervention on ecological project matters had been treated.
“The Ecological Project Office acts expeditiously on documents sent to it to solve problems; it looks at some of the gaps within the motion and tries to fill the gaps, and we have had more than five of such motions.
“ The Ecological Project Office does not handle funds; it only appraises projects and makes recommendations to the president,’’ he said.
The permanent secretary explained that it is the Ministry of Finance that manages the fund and the projects.
He stressed that it was a misconception that the Ecological Project Office is in charge of funds and at liberty to decide on where projects would be sited with the money in its coffers.
He said whenever there were interventions; the Ecological Project Office informed affected communities and went with the contractor to hand over the projects to the community.
This is to enable the community to take ownership of the intervention and communicate their observations to the project office.
Responding, Rep. Sani Jaji (APC-Kaura Namoda/ Birnin Magaji), chairman of the committee, said there should always be stakeholders engagement before embarking on ecological fund intervention projects.
He noted that the projects were stakeholders’ projects and failure to include the stakeholders would always lead to security breach.
“So many things happened with UNICEF’s polio vaccine rejection; but when it included stakeholders, people began to accept the vaccine.
“It is critical to involve stakeholders and ensure equity. Security cannot be the reason why you won’t execute projects in certain parts of the country.
“The perception about your office is that there is money out there; so you need to change that perception and let people know that you have limitations about the execution of projects,’’ he said.
Jaji challenged the Ecological Fund Project Office to provide the needed advice to the president to enable him to take the correct steps.

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