Niger Delta

Obaseki Advises NDDC Against Sub-standard Projects

Published

9 years ago

March 8, 2017

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has advised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to always emphasise quality in its road construction projects in the state.
Obaseki gave the advice on Thursday, when he received the report of the state government-inaugurated technical committee to review road projects executed by NDDC in the state.
The governor said he was not happy with the quality of work on some NDDC road projects in the state which the committee report indicated were below required road standards.
The report also indicated that only 101 roads of the 248 roads awarded by the commission had been executed.
It said that while work had yet to commence on 86 others, many of the road projects were reported to have been abandoned.
Obaseki urged intervention institutions like NDDC to ensure that only tested and trustworthy contractors are selected to handle road projects.
According to him, NDDC cannot be an appellation for substandard work, and the quality of their projects should improve.
‘’We have to, from now on, be involved in their projects and in the selection of contractors to work in our state.
‘’We want to understand why inferior materials are used for an NDDC project; and from now on, we want to insist that the same quality of materials we use on our roads are the same NDDC contractors who operate in the state must use.
‘’We have problems with the designs of their roads as reported by the committee; how can we design roads in a rain forest to have very narrow drains and expect that those roads will last?
‘’Even from the design stage, we want to be involved’’, he said.
He commended the committee for a job well done, and said that all contracts awarded by NDDC in the state would be evaluated.
‘’We will also like to interrogate all the contractors that have worked with us, we are imploring that NDDC gives the required cooperation,’’ he said.
Earlier, the chairman of the committee, Mr Erasmus Osahon, an engineer, said that NDDC started awarding road projects in the state in 2004.
Osahon said that the job of the committee was to ascertain the total number of roads, determine stage of accomplishment, the quality of work done, and make appropriate recommendation on the roads executed by NDDC in the state.
He noted that the review of road projects, prompt payment of contractors and training of engineers would stem the rate of abandonment of road projects.
Osahon also recommended that the commission should liaise with the state ministry of works to avoid duplication of projects and double expenditure.
The chairman suggested that the governor should take advantage of the regional funding usually made available by NDDC as a major source of funds for projects in the state.

Niger Delta

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

Published

11 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

11 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

11 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.