Niger Delta

Flood Sacks A’Ibom Monarch, Villagers

Published

2 years ago

October 22, 2021

Ikot Obio Atai community in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been deserted, the throne of monarch ravaged and the King sent on exile.
The community is not facing any war nor any other social upheaval like banditry but natural terror: flood, which has sent nearly half of the community packing.
Armed with no weapon or idea on how to combat the vicious flood, the village head, Chief Mkpong Okon Mkpong, fled from his palace at No. 85 Urua Ekpa Road to Udo Usanga Street in Uyo LGA, to rule over his community.
The flood, which has taken more than three kilometres of the village, equally affected many adjoining streets in the area, including Afaha Oku, Imo, Udo and Usanga, among others.
More than 120 houses have also been taken over by the flood, while more than 500 residents have been sacked from their houses, turning them to refugees in their homestead.
A dangerous gully erosion along Akpan Etong Street has swallowed some houses even as a man was reported to have died recently in the menacing flood
Though Ikot Obio Atai or Urua Ekpa Road is in Itu LGA, the affected communities are within Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) and the flooded area is less than two kilometres from the main gate of the town campus of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO).
Kufreabasi Edidem, who represents Itu constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, who is also an indigene of Ikot Obio Atai, said he was the chairman of Itu Council Area during the administration of Godswill Akpabio when the flood menace started.
He recalled that all the state government did was to refer him to the then deputy governor, who facilitated officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to visit the village and share relief materials to the victims.
Edidem claimed that as a member of the House of Assembly, he brought the state Commissioner for Environment and Works to inspect the flood site.
He said he forwarded the complaint to the state government, with the hope that the flood site would be included in the 2022 Akwa Ibom State budget.
“By God’s special grace, I am sure it will be in the budget by next year,” he said
On why he has not brought the issue before the Assembly under matter of urgent public importance, Edidem retorted: “ Do you want the thing on the floor or you want the problem solved? So if you want the problem solved, it is when you are a legislator and you don’t have good relationship with the executive and the executive does not listen to you that is when you bring matter to the floor of the house to catch the attention of the executive. But if the executive is already listening to you. The commissioner for finance and commissioner for environment followed me, they made the engineering drawings and they are working on the next year budget. It has been put in the budget, so what do you want the matter on the floor? It is for sensationalism or what?”
A garri seller, who identified herself simply as Mercy, lamented that the flood had sacked many residents of the area and crippled their businesses as students of UNIUYO, who were the bulk of tenants in the area as well as patrons of businesses have left the environment.
She stated that there was no natural stream or body of water, rather the new roads like Udoette, UNIUYO and Itam Market areas, among others contribute to the flooding of the area which is the lowest point around.
A resident and a keke rider in the area, Titus Ekpe Sunday, said, “My room is flooded anytime it rains. When it rains for about two or three hours, we relocated from our rooms. If you were here the other day when it rained, you will not come up to this point.”
Sunday explained that they have no option than to live there because they do not have money to rent new accommodation or build new houses, stressing: “After the rain, we scoop the water and go back to our wet rooms.”
Mr. Ekpe Asukwo, landlord of 41 Urua Ekpa Road, lamented that residents cannot quantify their losses over the years because of the menace, appealing to the state government to come to their rescue.
The sacked village head of Ikot Obio Atai, Chief Mkpong, said the flood problem was beyond the village’s capacity to handle, noting that the community had written several letters to successive governments in the state to no avail.
“The community has written to the various governments but nothing has happened. Since 1999, nothing has happened. If it was possible, the community would have addressed the problem. It is difficult for us. Governor Udom Emmanuel should come and help us. We are all members of PDP. It is sad that even the village head ‘s house is under water yet they say that Akwa Ibom State is beautiful,” he said.

Niger Delta

Bayelsa Recommits To Accountability, Infrastructural Projects …Declares Financial Receipt For Feb, March

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2023

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Government has restated its resolve towards ensuring accountability and prudence in the management and deployment of financial accruals to the state.
The Government stated this during the monthly ‘Transparency briefing’ held in Yenagoa, the state capital on Thursday, June 1st, to render the state’s financial report for February and March, 2023.
Rendering the financial report, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Maxwell Ebibai, indicated that statutory allocation stood at N2.222b, derivation, N14.021b, VAT, N 2.683b, first non-oil revenue, N 623m, 2nd non-oil revenue, N 93.5m, electronic money transfer levy was N 125.4m.
He said refund of VAT stood at N 55.5m, while total inflow from the federation account allocation committee(FAAC), stood at N19.826m, respectively.
Ebibai also said deductions from FAAC for February were N 2.4b, while total net inflow stood at N 17 .423billion.
According to the Commissioner, the state also raked in N 1.093b from internally generated revenue(IGR), and that ecological fund transfers to the state in February were N 79m, while refunds for excess crude was N3.876billion, making the sum total accruals for the month to be N 22.472billion.
He noted that expenses incurred in February were: Civil Servants salaries, N 4.387billion, bank loans, N 1.650billion, salaries of political appointees, N 551m, gratuity, N1 billion, grants to higher institutions of learning of the state, N 961m, ten percent contribution to salaries of primary school Teachers in the state, N 86m.
Further more, the Commissioner stressed that additional contribution to salaries of Teachers of public primary schools in the state was N117m, while minimum wage arrears was, N 50m, whereas the Government transfer of 50% refunds to the NDDC from the state in February stood at N 39.5m, and 5% contribution from its IGR to the State loans board was N 51.5m.
He noted also that charges from the state account maintenance in February, was N 13.5m, and that total payment incurred for recurrent expenditure stood at N 9.087billion, leaving the state with a balance of N13.384b.
The Government stated that total amount incurred as payment for capital expenditure in February stood at N 16.014billion.
The Tide reports that the Commissioner for Finance stated that in March, the state had a negative balance of N5.975 billion, which was only made good by the balance brought forward from February, leaving a closing balance of N3.887 billion.
Earlier in his opening speech, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba, scored the administration of Governor Diri high on its meticulous and prudential deployment of resources for the execution of infrastructural projects and other programmes in the state.
He noted that from the inception of the Governor Diri-led ‘Prosperity’ administration to date, the Governor has demonstrated willingness to fast-track the developmental processes of the state.
Duba restated Government’s resolve towards completing all ongoing infrastructural projects, maintaining that with Governor Diri at the helms of affairs of the state, Bayelsa can only be even better for it.
”Governor Diri has over and over again demonstrated the willingness and resolve to develop this state inspite of the dwindling allocations and other accruals to the state. But I want to again, assure all Bayelsans that no ongoing infrastructural project would be left stalled in this state by this administration”, he said.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

Niger Delta

MOSIEND Lauds Asari Dukobo Over Minority Rights Advocacy

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2023

The Tide

The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has commended Alhaji Asari Dokubo for his relentless advocacy for the rights of minority people.
National President of MOSIEND, Mr Kenedy Tonjo-West, in a statement issued on Saturday in Yenagoa, noted that Dokubo’s struggles bring to the fore decades of selfless service by the Ijaw leader.
The statement described Dokubo as a man of many parts, with passion in his pursuit for a better deal for the Izon Ethnic Nationality and other minorities in the Niger Delta and Nigeria, Tonjo-West noted that Dokubo has sacrificed a lot for the peace, unity and Socio-economic and political advancement of the Ijaws and Niger Delta people.
“Asari Dokubo is a Hero, one we hold in high esteem and join in celebrating as always.
“He is a trail blazer and pathfinder who brought more awareness to the gross marginalization and oppression of the Niger Delta people by forces, including Multinational corporations.
“And his detest for criminality, more especially from those in the struggle platform, stands him out. Asari abhors any act that will dent the credibility and integrity of the people in the struggle platform.
“He speaks truth to power and has become the voice to several voiceless ethnic nationalities outside of Ijaw and Niger Delta”, Tonjo-West stated.
The MOSIEND leader said Dokubo is a role model to so many and he makes his position on issues and policies known without fear or favour.
He described Dokubo, a former President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), as a known anti-oppression and anti-corruption advocate.
“We rejoice with him and celebrate God’s mercy and faithfulness upon his life and wish him many more years ahead in good health, sound mind and fulfilment.
“Yes, he may be controversial sometimes in his positions on issues, but that doesn’t make him a bad person. He has a kind heart but should not be taken for granted.
“If he stands for you, you can go home because he stands by his convictions. He is our illustrious son and brother, a legend and a rear gem. Ijaw Nation and Niger Delta are proud to have him” Tonjo-West concluded.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Diri Condemns Slow Pace Of Work On Nembe-Brass Road

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2023

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the 21km phase one of the Nembe-Brass Road, being constructed by his administration.
He stated this when he paid an unscheduled visit to the project site at Nembe.
The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, told the construction company, Setraco, that the project was important to his administration and people of the area.
He said the level of work done since the project commenced almost a year ago was not commensurate with the N16 billion paid as mobilization out of the N54 billion earmarked for the project.
Urging the company not to disappoint his administration, the Bayelsa helmsman stressed that he does not want anyone to adduce or play politics with the project.
While acknowledging that the company was credible, Governor Diri enjoined the contractor to put in more effort in order to meet the timelines for completion of the job.
”I am not comfortable with the level of sand filling that you have done so far. We have timelines for this project and I do not want anybody to ever think that we are playing politics with this road.
“We know why we awarded this contract. We know the importance of this road leading to Brass and I do not want you as contractors to disappoint the government. That is why we came here to make the point that this road means a lot to us.
“This contract was awarded for the first phase for about N54billion and your mobilization was 30 per cent, which amounts to N16billion. Government has paid the N16billion but the work done is not commensurate with the mobilization that you have received.
“The next time we come here, we want to see this whole place sand-filled. Take this very seriously.
“You are a very serious company and you have been working with this government. You did the Sagbama/Ekeremor Road and now you are on this important road. So I expect that you will not disappoint us”, he said.
In his response, the Setraco Area Manager for Bayelsa and Delta States, Engr. J. J. Cosme, promised to increase the pace of work on the project in order to meet the timelines.
He also assured that the company will not disappoint the government and people of the area.
Governor Diri also inspected the ongoing Onuebum-Otuoke Road project in Ogbia Local Government Area.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa.