Niger Delta

C’River Legalises Death Penalty For Kidnappers

Published

10 years ago

September 18, 2015

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has signed into law a bill that prescribes death penalty for convicted kidnappers in the State.
The anti-kidnapping bill was one of 10 bills the governor signed into law at the State Executive Chambers witnessed by the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the State, Ntufam John Okon, the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Tina Agbor and Permanent Secretaries.
The law also empowers the State to seize assets as well as freeze accounts belonging to convicted kidnappers, those who aid and abet kidnapping in the State. The governor while speaking on another bill which he had signed into law, described it as holding emotional significance to him.
“The most emotional bill to me is the Social Housing Law which seeks to provide housing for the poorest of the poor in the State. Various researches have linked corruption in Civil Service to housing. It has also been proven that given the salaries of average civil servants, if they do not originate memos that give them extra money, if they do not compromise, there is no civil servant in Nigeria that will be able to build a house. So by virtue of our salary structure, you have already created a catalyst for corruption to thrive,” he stated.
“By this bill, housing in Cross River State is now a right to the citizenry, it may not be justifiable at this point in time but we have created a legal stimulus to drive the structure that we can achieve housing for everybody and in the process, stamp out all mud and thatch houses in Cross River State,” he further stressed.
As a measure aimed at generating revenue to the state from its abundant water resources despite being pronounced a non-littoral state by the Supreme Court following the loss of Bakassi Peninsula, the governor signed the Water Landing and Fee Charges bill into law.
“When the Supreme Court ruling said that Cross River State is hemmed in, and by implication we ceased to be a littoral state, we are today demonstrating with a simple law that, that ruling was wrong since the implication of the ruling is that whatever waterways that exist within the confines of the State is internal and therefore cannot be covered under the Inland Waterways of Nigeria. So we have the right to regulate it,” he said
According to him “we are going to place a maximum figure on any vessel coming into Cross River waterways. So when it becomes an affront to the Federal Government they will revisit the ruling.”
Other laws signed into law by the governor included Infrastructure Safety and Regulatory Law, Water Front Management and Development Law, Corporate Social Responsibility Agency Law and Tax Exemption Law for low income earners.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon John Gaul Lebo who described the legislature as the incubator of leadership said the bills would better the lot of Cross Riverians.
He said it was quite impressive that in just three months the House was able to turn in10 bills, adding that the development was an indication that the vision of the governor was so clear that the House was able to translate it into laws.
Hon. Lebo promised the collaboration of the legislature with the executive to ensure the success of the PDP- led government in the state.

Niger Delta

Okpebholo Assures Corps Members Of Improved Welfare

Published

1 day ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assured corps members deployed to the state of improved welfare and a supportive service year.

Okpebholo gave the assurance at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream I corps members last Friday at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp in Okada.

The Governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment, safety and entrepreneurship.

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Mrs. Charity Amayaenvbo, the Governor urged corps members to embrace innovation, community service and self-reliance rather than wait for white-collar jobs.

“Edo is committed to supporting youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and incentives that turn ideas into enterprises.

“Do not wait for jobs, create value. Wherever you are posted, serve your host community with humility, dedication and compassion.

“Have a positive footprint and let your service contribute to unity, productivity and progress,” he said.

Okpebholo assured the corps members that the state government was attentive to their welfare and had started addressing key concerns raised by the NYSC leadership.

“On behalf of the state government, I assure you of our support in terms of safety, an enabling environment and a rewarding service year.

“I listened carefully to the requests highlighted by the state coordinator, and I am glad to inform you that some of them have already been captured in the 2026 budget, which has been approved and signed into law,” he said.

The Governor noted that provisions for accommodation, meal subsidies, logistics and the construction of a multipurpose hall at the camp were included in the budget.

Earlier in her address, the Edo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Dr. Frances Ben-Ushie, described the ceremony as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to youth development and national integration.

Ben-Ushie said as of midnight on Thursday, a total of 1,235 prospective corps members, comprising 531 males and over 700 females, had been duly registered.

She congratulated the corps members on their enlistment into what she described as a “noble scheme,” urging them to embrace discipline, learning and active participation throughout the orientation course.

“The NYSC platform provides a unique avenue to meet people from diverse backgrounds, build lifelong friendships and create networks that can open doors to greater opportunities,” she said.

Ben-Ushie also highlighted the contributions of the NYSC to the state’s development, noting that the scheme had consistently provided skilled manpower, promoted labour mobility and strengthened national unity.

She cited initiatives such as the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme as key interventions benefiting communities across the state.

The NYSC coordinator commended the state government for its support, including the provision of buses for corps members, and appealed for further intervention to address lingering operational challenges at the orientation camp.

She expressed confidence that resolving the issues would enhance the effectiveness of NYSC programmes in the state and thanked the Governor for prioritising the welfare, security and growth of corps members.

Niger Delta

PDP Declares Edo Airline’s Plan As Misplaced Priority

Published

1 day ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

The Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday condemned the state government’s reported plan to establish a state-owned airline.

The party, in a statement by its Edo State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the proposal as a misplaced priority and evidence of poor, disconnected governance.

The Tide’s source reports that the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, unveiled the airline plan during a meeting with Aviation Minister, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.

Osa-Ogbegie said the proposal showed a government out of touch with the pressing challenges confronting Edo State residents.

“At a time of decaying infrastructure and stalled projects, establishing an airline is unrealistic and profoundly insensitive”, he said.

He argued that airlines were capital-intensive and technically demanding, noting that similar state-owned ventures in Nigeria had largely failed.

According to him, Benin has become a shadow of what a modern state capital should be.

He decried poor roads, collapsed urban planning, neglected drainage systems and weak municipal services across the state capital.

“This is a crying shame for a city of Benin’s history, heritage and enormous potential”, he said.

Osa-Ogbegie said several inherited projects had stalled or deteriorated, eroding investor confidence and undermining economic growth.

He accused the governor of pursuing “white elephant projects that offer optics without substance.”

He also cited ongoing flyover projects in parts of Benin as examples of poor prioritisation.

Against this background, he described the airline proposal as diversionary and lacking economic sense.

“When roads are barely motorable and services overstretched, proposing an airline betrays an absence of judgment,” he said.

He urged the government to abandon the plan and focus on people-centred priorities that would improve living conditions and spur growth.

“Edo does not need an airline to fly above its problems. It needs a government ready to confront them on the ground,” he said.

He warned that failure to refocus would deepen perceptions of an administration lacking direction, competence and a coherent development agenda.

Niger Delta

Students Protest Non-indigene Appointment As Rector in C’River

Published

1 day ago

January 28, 2026

The Tide

Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ugep, Cross River State, have protested to the Governor’s Office in Calabar over an alleged plan to appoint a non-indigene as Rector for the institution.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the students demanded respect for catchment area policy, local content, and the appointment of an indigene of the state as Rector of the institution.

Speaking on behalf of the students in Calabar, Stephen Etem said the protest sought to alert the Federal and Cross River State Governments to an alleged deviation from the established rectorial selection process.

Etem said a Governing Council, chaired by Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, was constituted by the Federal Government to conduct the Rector selection exercise.

“The screening, which began last year, reportedly produced a Cross River State indigene as highest scorer and recommended candidate.

“Information available to us suggests that the alleged recommended candidate’s name might be substituted at the Federal Ministry of Education.

“We urge the Federal Government to uphold the council’s recommendation because altering the process could threaten peace in the institution,” he noted.

Responding at the Government House, Mr. Goddie Akpama, the Special Adviser on Intelligence to the State Governor, Bassey Otu, appealed for calm, saying the Governor was away but would be briefed.

Akpama advised the students to submit written petitions through appropriate channels, avoid inflammatory language, and engage authorities to ensure stability and uninterrupted academic activities.