Niger Delta
Community Inaugurates Security Outfit, Wants Upgrade Of Chieftaincy Stool
Yenagoa town,a community in Yenagoa Council Area of Bayelsa State has appealed to the government to upgrade its chieftaincy stool.
Speaking at the inauguration of the community’s central security outfit, code named, “Owulodiegbe”, the Paramount Ruler, Clarkson Kikile, said the community remained the only town whose name has been used as state capital without the upgrade of the existing traditional stool to a first class status.
He described the refusal of government to upgrade the community’s stool from second to first class as a slap on the community’s traditional institution, saying that Yenagoa town has not been accorded its rightful place and privileges as the capital city of a state in Nigeria.
Kikile asserted that over the years, with the creation of Bayelsa State, successive governments and private concern operators had often not given adequate recognition to the community, partly due to mistaking the name Yenagoa to mean just the geographical capital of the state or the Yenagoa Local Government Area.
“There were three connotations of the name Yenagoa. One means the capital of Bayelsa State, the second refers to the entire Yenagoa Council Area of the state and the third means Yenagoa town, an autonomous community in the Yenagoa local government area of the state.
“The government and private sector operatives have often been confused about this. As a result, Yenagoa town is the only town used as the name of a state capital in Nigeria without a first class king.
“But the government and everybody should take note that Yenagoa is an autonomous community with a second class monarch. We’ve pleaded and are still pleading that the government upgrade our chieftaincy stool to first class to match the nomenclature of the status of a king in the capital city of a state capital”, the monarch noted.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the community’s Council of Chiefs, Ajaiye Sakwe, restated their resolve to continue being a peaceful community.
He maintained that the community which has long been relegated to the background by successive administrations of the state should be accorded its rightful place in kingship and all other government’s community dealings.
In the same vein, the chairman of the newly inaugurated Yenagoa Town Central Security outfit, Mr Godgift Fefegha, has said he was ready to cooperate with all other government-owned security apparatuses in ensuring the security of lives and property within the boundaries of the community.
He said the era of crime and criminality in the town was gradually coming to an end, noting that with the outfit’s numerical strength and intelligent sharing with members of the security body as well as the state-owned sister security organisations, criminals in the area no longer have a hiding place.
“I don’t know who is a criminal, I don’t even know who a cultist is, but all I can say is that if you’re caught, you’ll be treated as a criminal”, he said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Delta State House of Assembly has commenced public hearing on the State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Bill, 2024.
The Tide’s source reports that the public hearing was organised by the House Committee on Housing, Women Affairs, Humanitarian Support Services and Girl Child Entrepreneurship in Asaba.
Chairman of the committee, Mrs Bridget Anyafulu, said the hearing was to provide members of the public the opportunity to offer contributions to the proposed law.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure that the state has a law that adequately answers to the challenges it seems to address and satisfy the needs and aspirations of our people and society.
“We have invited you to join us to make a law that will help to effectively address and eradicate the odious practice of human trafficking in our state.
“We know that as stakeholders, the effective participation in making this law will go a long way in enhancing the quality of the law that will finally emerge from the process”, she said.
Anyafulu assured the stakeholders that the committee would look into their suggestions and consider areas that could help to strengthen the bill as well as enhance its quality.
On her part, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, Ms. Orode Uduaghan, called for the inclusion of the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the implementation process.
It also reports that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), State Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), among others, were involved in the public hearing.
They commended the State Executive for initiating the bill and called for its speedy passage.
The Federal Government has handed over 24,180 bags of 50kg maize and 5,828 bags of 25kg ‘garri’ to the Akwa Ibom State Government for distribution to vulnerable households.
The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government in Uyo, the State Capital.
Represented by Mrs. Mmandu Aisueni, the Head, Operations, NEMA, Akwa Ibom State office, Umar said the donation was in fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government approved the release of 42, 000 metric tonnes of assorted food items from the National Strategic Reserve to vulnerable households.
Umar said that the president’s promise was the government’s way of reducing the impact of the current economic hardship in the country.
“We are here to hand over the food items to the state government for distribution to the intended beneficiaries in the communities”, she said.
The NEMA D-G said that the food items should be shared in the communities through properly constituted committees at the local government levels.
She said membership of the local government committees should include the council chairman, representatives of the State Emergency Management Agency and the traditional institutions.
Umar said 20 per cent of the food items for each council area should be given to religious groups, and that three per cent of it should be given to boarding schools in the area.
Receiving the items, Dr Offiong Offor, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, commended the Federal Government for the intervention.
Offor said that the gesture was a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of the citizenry.
The commissioner promised that the state government would ensure that the items were given to the intended beneficiaries.
A group, Concerned Obidient Movement, has declared support for Mr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21 Edo State governorship election.
Leader of the group, Mr. Ikhuenbor Igbinevbo, told newsmen in Benin that the election transcends individual personalities.
“It is a critical moment that will shape the future of Edo. The PDP is creating a climate of renewed political energy that promises sustainable progress.
“Its candidate, Ighodalo, and the deputy, Osarodion Ogie, possess the vision and qualifications that align with the aspirations of Edo people,” he said.
Igbinevbo highlighted the candidates’ deep understanding of the State’s challenges and potential which, he said, positions them to lead the state into a new era of prosperity and responsible governance.
He urged Edo people, both at home and in the Diaspora, to unite in their support for the PDP and its candidates ahead of the election.
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