Niger Delta

COVID-19: No Resumption Date Yet For Schools, Says Bayelsa Ministry Of Education …Warns Private Schools Proprietors, Commences e-Learning

Published

4 years ago

July 12, 2020

Permanent Secretary Bayelsa state Ministry of Education,comrade Walton Liverpool says no date has been slated for the resumption of schools in the state.

Liverpool hinted The Tide this during an interview held with him in Yenagoa.

According to him,that the Federal Government has slated part reopening of schools for 3rd August is not a yardstick that the state must do so.

He noted that due to the peculiar nature of the state in terms of having more far-flung communities in all the Local Government Areas,the Government is being meticulous in resuming schools without adequate preparations, saying that before doing so the state Government through the Ministry of Education would work out appropriate and sustainable modalities to ensuring that Covid-19 is contained in the Education sector within the requisite National centre for disease control,NCDC stipulated guidelines.

Liverpool restated his commitment towards ensuring an unimpeded school curricular,emphasizing that the Ministry has since introduced various e-learning platforms comprising the social and electronic media to

cushion the learning deficit occasioned by the pandemic.

While reacting to the recent feud between the State wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers,NUT and the Academic staff union of secondary schools,ASUSS the Education Permanent Secretary who served as the pioneer state chairman of the NUT berated ASUSS,saying they took the laws in their hands.

He described ASUSS as an association and not a registered trade union,advising that they desist from further parading themselves as such,just as he restated that under his leadership in NUT years ago a similar splinter group sprung up, reassuring however,that there was a solution to the problem which can still be applied today to amicably resolve the lingering issues rather than parade as a splinter group.

“We’ve not taken a date to resume schools in the state.Even though the Federal Government has taken and again reordered,due to our peculiar problems we’ve not slated any date”, he said.

“Before we reopen we would have to provide measures to containing the spread in and amongst our schools”, he added.

“But to bridge the learning vacuum created by

Covid-19 the Education Ministry has commenced e-learning programmes on different social media platforms and on Radio too for schools and students in both primary and secondary schools in the state”, he stated.

“For ASSUS, my advise for them is that they stop parading themselves as a trade union henceforth.They’re an Association under the NUT and not a trade union as they claim. I’ve been the NUT state chairman and I know this very well” he concluded.

Meanwhile in a press statement made available to The Tide by the Ministry,the permanent secretary has warned owners and the management of private schools in the state to desist from resuming schools.

The pioneer State NUT chairman restated that even though the West African Examinations council has fixed 3rd August and 5th September as the date for the commencement and rounding up of the 2020 WASSCE the schools in the state may not resume until the state is certified fit by the NCDC to reopen schools.

In another development it seems not yet Uhuru with the proposed schools reopening date in Nigeria as the Federal Government has again reordered its earlier decision on the resumption

date.

In the same vein there are indications that in consonance with dissenting opinions on a possible resumption date as earlier expressed by some state Governments and stakeholders in the Education sector, the Federal Government may no longer be willing to permit Nigeria’s participation in the regional examinations this year following the resurgence of more cases of the novel Covid-19 pandemic.

The Tide learnt that the Federal Ministry of Education has expressed concerns on the safety of Nigerian students when schools are resumed amidst rising number of the Coronavirus infections in the country.

You would be recalled that penultimate week the Federal Government announced August 3rd as the resumption date of schools in Nigeria, while the West African Examinations council,WAEC also followed suit by giving 3rd August through 5th September as dates for kick-starting and ending up of this year’s WASSCE.

Inset:comrade Walton Liverpool, PS Bayelsa state Ministry of Education.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

Niger Delta

Delta Begins Issele-Azagba-Otulu Road Construction

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2024

The Tide

The Delta State Government says it will build roads and bridges to link every community with the state capital as part of the efforts to develop the state.

The Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, stated this on Thursday during the commencement of the 2.7km Issele-Azagba-Otulu Road construction in Aniocha North Local Government.

Aniagwu said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was determined to develop all parts of the state in line with his administration’s ‘MORE Agenda’.

“Oborevwori’s desire is to make sure that every local government whether they are in the North, Central or Southern Senatorial district of the state are touched.

”So that by the time we are coming back to our people in 2026-2027, the people themselves would appreciate what we have done”, he said.

Aniagwu added, “You will recall that few weeks ago, the Executive approved a number of roads across the three Senatorial districts.

”After the approval, we proceeded to the process of awards and we got a number of contractors who bidded after the projects were advertised.

“This particular project, which links Issele-Azagba-Otulu and to Ubulu-Okiti, was among the projects that was approved in the course of that meeting.

“It has been awarded and we are here to examine the level of mobilisation and to formally hand over the projects to the different contractors.

“This particular project is comprising 2.7km and over 3km side drain has been awarded to a contractor we considered capable and it will link up Aniocha North to Aniocha South in Delta North Senatorial District”, he said.

According to him, once this road is completed, the people of Issele-Azagba may not go through the expressway again to get to their local government headquarters at Issele-Uku.

“I have extracted commitment from the contractor and from their work schedule, I am convinced that in no distant time this project would be delivered”, he said.

The commissioner also disclosed that the Oborevwori-led administration was mobilising contractors to ensure they work with the necessary speed to avoid price fluctuations.

Aniagwu said the contractor had been given 30 per cent of the contract sum, adding that he was expected to deliver the project within 12 months.

“We are doing this because we don’t want a situation were a job is given to anybody and he tells us that he has been very busy scouting for funds hence he has not been able to kick-start the process.

“Even though we know that a lot of the contractors have the resources to mobilise to site, we have to mobilise them so that they don’t move at their own pace because we want them to move at our own pace.

“What we desire first is quality job to be delivered, and secondly to meet up with the speed because we don’t want a situation where a contractor takes a job and then he goes to the market to buy a mattress and begin to sleep on the project.

“We want them to be progressing steadily so that at the end of the day we don’t have to suffer on account of fluctuations in the economy”, the Commissioner said.

Aniagwu, accompanied by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Solomon Aghagba, also inspected Ichie James Obodoechi Avenue and Chikozie Okafor Road, in Asaba under construction.

Niger Delta

Navy Holds Free Education, Medical Outreach In Bayelsa Community

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH, has held a free education and medical outreach for residents of Diebu in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The Commander, Commodore Nanmar Lakan, told newsmen during the exercise on Saturday in Diebu, that the outreach was a way of promoting cooperation with host communities.

Lakan further said the education and medical outreach was part of the navy’s corporate social responsibility to the civil populace.

He said the exercise was in line with the navy’s broad mandate which extended beyond safeguarding the nation’s territorial waters and national assets.

“We also take steps to support the health, safety and development of the people in our host communities.

“This initiative is part of the navy’s non-kinetic operations which are mostly aimed at enhancing civil-military relations”, he explained.

The commander also said the exercise aligned with the vision and strategic directive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla.

He stated that Diebu Community was chosen for the outreach because of its history of producing leaders who had served the nation in various capacities.

“Remember that education remains a key tool for personal and societal development. It is veritable a tool to unlock opportunities.

“Health is an essential requirement for productivity and growth. We are aware that access to quality healthcare remains a challenge to many.

“This outreach targets to promote education and healthcare delivery in this community”, he said.

Lakan thanked the community for the warm reception and cooperation accorded members of the outreach team.

He reiterated the commitment of the navy to strengthen the close ties between it and the people of Southern Ijaw.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Distributes Fertilisers, Improved Seedlings To Farmers

Published

3 days ago

October 1, 2024

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State Government has commenced the distribution of fertilisers and improved seedlings to farmers in the state.

The State Governor, Umo Eno, who kick-started the exercise on Thursday at Uruan Local Government Area, said the gesture was to support second planting season activities.

He said a total of 12,000 bags of fertilizers and improved seedlings would be distributed to farmers across the state.

He reiterated the commitment of the State Government to support more citizen participation in farming to ensure massive food production.

“Our intention is to take agriculture to another level, a level where young people will see farming as a business activity.

“Our state is blessed with good vegetation, favourable weather, good road network, and adequate security.

“With the availability of land, favourable weather and good vegetation, there is no reason for anyone not to plant what they will consume”, he said.

The Governor said the State Government’s free food initiative was a temporary intervention towards reducing the hardship in the country.

“The lasting solution to the poverty and hunger facing the people is to return to the farm”, he said.

He stated further that the State Government would also distribute 10,000 cassava cuttings, 20,000 improved oil palm seedlings and 5,000 trays of pepper seedlings among others.

“We believe that it is time to go back to the farm. We should make our children to understand the need to get involved in farming very early in life”, he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor, urged Akwa Ibom people to key into the state government’s food sufficiency programme.

He expressed the commitment of the ministry to drive the state government’s agriculture initiatives in the interest of food sufficiency and economic prosperity.