Niger Delta
N’Delta Elders Urge Buhari To Inaugurate NDDC Board
Conference of Presidents-General of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CPGNDEN) have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to abide by the NDDC Establishment Act.
In the communique issued after its meeting, the Group called on President Muhammadu Buhari “to keep his promise and inaugurate a substantive board for NDDC following the submission of the forensic report, and in line with the law establishing the agency,”
The Group noted that the Niger Delta was in dire need of development which the absence of the board has so far stalled.
The communique which was read by its President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, CPGNDEN also contended that the running of the NDDC by a sole administrator was contrary to the law establishing the commission.
To drive home it’s demands, CPGNDEN over the weekend staged a protest march to highlight the injustice by the Federal Government to the Niger Delta people.
Addressing protesters at the march, Prof. Okaba, who is also the President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) stated “The Federal Government should leave the NDDC for the Niger Delta people.”
According to him, “Inaugurate the (NDDC) Board now. We are tired of seeing NDDC in the hands of a family. Interim managers upon interim managers have taken over NDDC as if it is a family affair. As we speak, monies are spent, people are employed, yet there is no representation from any of the constituent states on policy issues. We have decided to take it upon ourselves to engage the public on these protests and we believe that the Federal Government will take us very seriously because doing otherwise is to their peril.”
In his own remark at the protest march, Prof. Chris Akpotu, Secretary of CPGNDEN, and President-General of Isoko Development Union (IDU) restated that what Niger Deltans demand is an NDDC “substantive board that will ensure even and equitable distribution of the development programmes as far as the Niger delta is concerned. We are equally concerned about the NNPC road infrastructure programme of the Federal Republic where all the states of the Niger Delta are obviously marginalised.”
Prince Biira, President, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni people (MOSOP) remarked that “Interim Caretaker-ship of the NDDC is a symbol of corruption; it’s a symbol of misappropriation. The essence of that Commission (NDDC) is to develop the Niger Delta area. They should put the structures of the Board in place as quickly as possible.”
According to The Conference of Presidents-General of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CPGNDEN), the timely intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari would douse the growing tension in the region.
CPGNDEN also kicked against moves to include Bauchi, Ogun and Lagos as new oil-producing states in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Michael Abraham
The Natural Ruler and Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Edward I, Perekule XI, has hailed the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, for recognising indigenes of his community through conferment of honours.
He also congratulated Bonny indigenes who were conferred with the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) award by the Rivers State Government.
The awardees are Chairman of Bonny Local Government Council, Alabota Anengi Dagogo Claude-Wilcox; Amaopusenibo Rodaford Longjohn; Amaopusenibo Kingsley Fubara Hart; Hon. George Fubara Tolofari; Hon. Aye Atamah Pepple; Hon. Christopher Green; and Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple.
The monarch also expressed gratitude to Wike and the state government for finding Bonny indigenes worthy of such recognition.
In a statement, the monarch, who had also been honoured by the Rivers State Government for his contributions to the development of Nigeria and Rivers State, said the award would motivate the recipients and others to put more efforts towards making Rivers State the cynosure of all eyes. He used the opportunity to appreciate the former governor, for his outstanding achievements, while praying that the present Governor, Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara, who is an Ibani son, would surpass his accomplishments.
The Paramount Ruler, who was present at the presentation of the awards, prayed for more successes in their political careers and other endeavours, and hoped that they would continue to be good ambassadors of Bonny Kingdom.
Residents of Cross River State have appealed to the new governor of the state, Sen. Bassey Otu, to enthrone good governance in the state as he assumes office.
The residents who spoke with The Tide source during the inauguration of Otu said with the present situation in the state, it was important for the new governor to hit the ground running.
Former Commissioner for Health in the state, Mrs Janet Ekpenyong said the residents are very hopeful that the governor would perform and succeed in his endeavour.
“I hope that as Otu assumes office, he will bring on some people who will give him the necessary and explicit support that he requires to move the state forward.
“There is a huge gap of human resources in the state’s health sector; although, the former governor started the process of recruiting more hands, we expect the governor to bring in more competent hands to bridge the gap.
“He should also focus on the the renovation of our health facilities especially those at the secondary level and also ensure that there is enough commodities and drugs to cater for residents of the state,” she said.
Ekpenyong added that there was also need to invest and expand the state’s health insurance scheme as it was a low hanging fruit and would bridge healthcare gap in the state.
Similarly Mr Jackson Bassey said although the new governor might have a good heart but he needed to stand his ground with the will power to do the right thing.
Mrs Ikaete Anang said the people were tired of long speeches without action from their elected officials assign that what they wanted was performance.
Anang called on the new governor of the state to try his best in assuaging the suffering of the people of the state, especially the women.
“We need to make Cross River viable, clean and green again so that the people can rejoice; it has been a painful last four years and we must tell ourselves the truth,” she maintained.
The source reports that the inauguration of the the governor of Cross River took place at a packed UJ Esuene Stadium with colourful cultural troupes and many dignitaries in attendance.
A delegation of Global South scholars and activists are embarking on a lobbying and advocacy tour of European capitals to discuss the urgent issue of an ecosocial energy transition.
The seven participants are following up on a global manifesto published this year decrying a new Green colonialism and urging more equitable approaches to achieving a fossil-free future.
Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said this in a statement on Monday in Yenagoa.
HOMEF, a Nigeria based environmental group is a participating member of the coalition of groups making up the delegation.
The delegation will hold public events, meet with policymakers and NGOs, and engage with members of the media in Berlin, Brussels, and London from May 29 to June 2.
According to her, the mission of the delegation is to inject Global South perspectives into current European policy discussions around energy and environment.
“The delegation will include the Right Livelihood award winner, a Nigerian activist Nnimmo Bassey, widely published Argentine sociologist and philosopher Maristella Svampa, the Fijian international human rights lawyer Kavita Naidu and Indian activist-researcher Madhuresh Kumar.
“Others are Brazilian-Spanish activist-scholar Breno Bringel, Venezuelan linguist and ecofeminist Liliana Buitrago, and South African-Swedish scholar-activist Vasna Ramasar.
“The tour is organized by the Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact of the South, the Global Just Transition project of the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives,” she said.
She said that while in Germany, the delegation would in Berlin, meet the press in the morning of Tuesday and hold a public event co-sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung at 5 pm (Str. der Pariser Kommune.)
She said that in Brussels, Maristella Svampa would participate in a public event “The Green Transition and Critical Minerals” on May 30 at 12:30 at CCND.
“Also in Brussels, on May 31, the delegation will meet with NGOs at Mundo-madou at noon co-sponsored by Oikos.
“The itinerary further shows that in the evening of May 31 in Brussels, the delegation will hold a public event at 6 pm co-sponsored by Broederlijk Delen at GEC in Ghent (Kon. Maria Hendrikaplein.
“In London, the delegation will meet with NGOs on June 1 beginning at 1 pm at Kairos House,The Bookroom, Essex Hall, 1-6 Essex Street.
“While on June 2, in London, there will be a public event at Pelican House at 6 pm (144 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green).”