Niger Delta

Diri Rewards Retired Perm Secs With Cash Gifts

Published

4 years ago

September 8, 2021

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has announced a cash reward of one million naira each to 30 retired permanent secretaries in the state, saying the cash gift was a token of appreciation from the government for their meritorious services to the state and the nation.
The governor made the announcement for the reward at a send forth organised by the Bayelsa State Permanent Secretaries Forum in Yenagoa.
He appealed to the former top civil servants to make themselves available whenever they were called upon to serve in the future.
He stated that being aware that the ultimate goal of every civil servant is to receive his gratuity and pension at retirement; it was his administration’s policy not to deny retirees such benefits.
The governor said plans were underway to collaborate with pension managers to ensure that retirees received their benefits as, and when due, irrespective of the government in power.
“One of the focal points of every civil servant is that when they retire they expect their pension on monthly basis. We have promised not to treat our senior citizens with levity and would like to keep that promise as long as we remain in the saddle of governance in Bayelsa State.
“Today, we are celebrating you for the meritorious service you rendered to your dear state. I join in thanking and calling you to continue in the fashion that you have done while in service and to render services now as senior citizens of our dear state in terms of advice from the experience you have garnered over the years”, Diri said.
Earlier, the retired permanent secretaries commended Governor Diri for ensuring prompt payment of their gratuities and monthly pension.
Chairman of the Retired Permanent Secretaries, represented by Chief B.F. Amakiri, noted that the governor’s love for retirees in the state was unsurpassed by any other governor in neighbouring states.
According to him, retirees in the state were not feeling the hardship that comes with retirement due to prompt payment of their benefits.
He expressed the forum’s support for the administration and appealed to the governor not to relent in his developmental initiatives.
”You have done very well. We have colleagues and have been to neighbouring states but here is nothing to compare to this. At the end of every month, there is no difference between retirees and those still in service. The gratuity we receive each month, you have placed a mandate that it is first to retire, first to get paid. And this is being followed religiously to the letter”, the chairman said.
In their goodwill messages, the duo of the Chief Whip of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Chairman, Committee on Establishments, Hon.Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai and the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission, Dr Peter Singabele, respectively, thanked the governor for not neglecting retired workers and prayed for more resources to enable him do more for them.
Also speaking, the Head of Service, Mrs Biobelemoye Charles-Onyema, congratulated the retirees for successfully serving the state without blemish.
She said their services were invaluable to the growth of the civil service due to the experience they garnered while serving.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

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

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

3 days 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.