Niger Delta

Delta Proposes N425bn For 2022 Budget

Published

5 years ago

August 2, 2021

Delta State Government on Friday said it has proposed a total sum of N425 billion as the appropriation for year 2022, indicating that the budget would soon be transmitted to the State House of Assembly.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, flanked by his counterparts in Economic Planning, Mr Barry Gbe, and Housing, Mr Festus Ochonogor, said the figure was part of the decisions reached at the State executive Council meeting on Friday in Asaba.
Aniagwu said that the council meeting was the first after the newly-constituted cabinet on Thursday, July 29, following the dissolution of the executive council by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa on May 18.
He said that the meeting approved many memos, including those for the budget proposal, low cost housing for low-income workers, road projects, among others.
“So, a number of issues were taken up, ranging from development of infrastructure, to the 2022 budget, housing scheme for low-income workers, procurement of medical equipment for the Mother and Child Centre, Owa Alero.
“The council approved for construction, the 756-metre Amoro Street in Enerhen, Uwvie Local Government Area, Osamo Street in Ika North East; Ozu-Onyia Ogbe Stree in Ika South and Okpolo/Enwie Road in Isoko South LGAs.
“Also approved is a high-powered committee to be headed by the deputy governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, to look into issues of sanitation to ensure that we maintain a much healthier sanitation in our state,” he said.
He said that the council also approved the increased pace of work in Warri/Uwvie ongoing storm water projects to extend and work on phases III and IV areas to tackle the anticipated flood occasioned by heavy rains.
“The council also approved the UTM-Off-Shore limited for the state to invest in floating liquefied natural gas projects to create jobs, a private sector driving investment is worth investing in, given the enormous natural gas in our state.
On his part, Gbe, explaining the parameters for preparing the proposed budget, said that the state adopted the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), according to the Fiscal Responsibility Law 2020.
According to him, “having secured approval of the state council for MTEF and FSP, it will also be taking to the State House of Assembly for approval before we can commence the process of distributing envelops to the ministries, departments and agencies.
“What I recommend as Commissioner for Economic planning is for us to spend a total of N388 billion for 2022 as against the N38 billion for 2021. However, the council, after deliberations, increased the 2022 budget to N485 billion.
“On the macroeconomic indicators, we deliberately adopted the Federal Government MTEF and FSP; the planned reasoning oil to be sold at US$ 57 per barrel, daily production of oil as 1.88 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N410 per dollar”.
He noted that the internally generated revenue for the first half of 2021 was N35 billion, adding that the state would embark on aggressive revenue drive to fund the 2022 budget to shore the IGR up from the target of about N61 billion in 2021 to N75 billion next year.
He said that with the expected statutory allocation, IGR, grants from donor agencies, and intervention programmes, the state would try to scale down net financing. It may not need to borrow much to finance the budget.
According to him, the projection is that the capital expenditure should be higher that the recurrent expenditure in the ratio of 56 to 44 distribution.
Also, Ochonogor explained that the council approved a pilot scheme project for low housing development plans in three locations; Owa-Oyibu, Kwale and Ozoro where the state government has secured land for the projects.

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.