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Niger Delta

Bayelsa Partners Group On Child-Health Safety From Oil Spillage, Pollution

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5 years ago

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The Bayelsa State government has expressed commitment towards stronger partnership with a non-governmental organisation, the Stakeholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability (SACA).
The government stated this, Thursday, at the inauguration of a project tagged: ‘The child-driven safeguarding project at school level’ which was carried out by SACA in conjunction with the state’s Ministries of Education, Health and Environment as well as the Catholic Education Board and the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools(NAPPS), in Yenagoa, the state capital.
In goodwill messages delivered by the trio of the state commissioners of Education, Dr Gentle Emelah, his Environment and Health counterparts, Hon. Iselema Gbaranbiri and Dr Pabara Igwele, represented by Dr Wisdom Sawyer, Permanent Secretary Health, Mr Christopher Ewhrudjakpo, Permanent Secretary Environment and Mr Ere Wakedei, Director, Climate change, Ministry of Environment, respectively, the government stated that it was ready to foster a stronger partnership with the group to safeguard the lives of both born and yet to be birthed children, across the state from oil related pollutions.
The state government commended SACA for taking the awareness and advocacy campaign for an hydrocarbon pollution-free society to schools in the state, saying that the awareness created would immensely address the problems of environmental hazards associated with exploitation and exploration of oil across the state.
Speaking on the rationale behind the ceremony, Executive Director, SACA, Mr Kingsley Ozegbe decried the spate of oil pollution in the state, advising that all stakeholders must synergise towards a possible ending of the dangers occasioned by spills.
He hinted that the NGO was resolved to ending oil related environmental hazards in the Niger Delta region, just as he said research by the NGO conducted through its partnering organisations show that no fewer than 16,000 children had died due to living in environments not more than 20km distance from sites of oil spills.
“Our children born and yet unborn are exposed to dangers of oil spills, our findings showed that about 16,000 children have died due to living in a distance not more than 20km from sites of oil spills across the Niger Delta”, he said.
“So we wanted to bring this awareness to our children in both public and private schools across the state the inauguration of the Child-Driven safeguarding project at the school level in the state”, he added.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the SACA project management committee(PMC) who also doubles as the chairperson, national association of proprietors of private schools(NAPPS), Bayelsa State chapter, Dr (Mrs) Christiana McDonald have said proprietors of schools in the state have demonstrated their willingness to continue partnering SACA in the fight against oil spills and other hydrocarbon related environmental hazards.
She restated that though her committee was recently inaugurated, the inauguration of the child- driven safeguarding project at the school level was capable of fast tracking the advocacy by SACA, just as she commended the state government for showing commitment in the project.
Part of the fall out of the inauguration ceremony was the directive by the Bayelsa State government to schools in the state to form a 20-member child safeguarding club in all the ‘child-driven safe guarding’ pilot schools across the state on or before 9th, July, 2021, while SACA would assist the pilot schools to develop child safeguarding policy, amongst others.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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Niger Delta

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

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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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.
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