Niger Delta

CRHA Okays Ayade’s N3.7bn Loans

Published

10 years ago

February 24, 2016

Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Barr. (Mrs) Ukel Oyaghire, with Chairman, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Rivers State chapter, Mrs Lilian Okonkwo, during a courtesy visit to the commissioner in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Ibioye Diama

The Cross River State
House of Assembly has approved the State Government’s request to obtain loans from two financial institutions to the tune of N3.7 billion to aid the deficit in payment of salaries and counterpart funding for sponsored social services in the state.
This was the outcome of the sitting held in the Legislative Chambers of the House and presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. John Gaul Lebo.
Lebo directed the Clerk of the House, Barrister Bassey Ekpenyong, to communicate the resolution of the House to the Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.
Earlier, correspondences from the office of the SSG read by the Clerk during the sitting indicate that the government intends to obtain a 2.5 billion naira overdraft from United Bank for Africa (UBA) for salary payment to State Workers and another N1,237,624,123.00 counterpart loan from ECOBANK for EU/WSSRP, FADAMA 1,11,111 and New Map services/projects.
Deliberating on the government’s request, the members unanimously agreed on the necessity of the requests, describing it as the only way out for the State in the face of dwindling resources and low economic down turn in the country occasioned by the fall in the price of crude oil.
The members also described the overdraft and counterpart funding request as a good transaction, urging the State Government to make judicious use of the funds to fulfill the Governor Ayade administration’s promise to pilot the ship of the State out of poverty.
The Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Okon Ephraim said that Governor Ayade was running a labour friendly administration in the State and drew the attention of the House to the recent protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo State over failure of the state government to pay her workers and further retrenchment of over three thousand workers.
He added that in their presentation at the same protest the leadership of NLC singled out Cross River State Government under the administration of Prof. Ben Ayade as a labour friendly administration for her prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements to state workers.
According to the Calabar South 1 state constituency representative, Governor Ayade has paid state workers up to date and does not owe state workers even a dime.
“Even in January when most state were crying hardship, he paid on the 15th to enable civil servants pay school fees for their children, if he is seeking to borrow to help him bridge the financial gap for the purpose of payment of workers, it is good we support the executive’s good intentions”, he noted.
Other members also spoke in favour of the request, urging their colleagues to give it a speedy approval.
Motion for the adoption and approval of the request as request as resolutions of the House was moved by the House Leader Hon. Moses Ucheche and seconded by Hon. Elizabeth Ironbar, member representing Akpabuyo State Constituency.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

7 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

7 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

7 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.