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Andoni LG Boss Impounds 100 Drums Of Illegally Refined Products
The Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, Barrister Erastus Awortu, has confiscated over 100 drums of illegally refined petroleum products in the area while lamenting their adverse effects on the environment.
Awortu made this known, last Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, while briefing newsmen on activities of the council’s Petroleum Task Force in the fight against oil bunkering.
He stressed the readiness of the task force to tackle the illegal crude oil trade in the creeks of Andoni, adding that the move by the council became imperative to save the fast-eroding fishing business of the people.
According to him, the fishing business of the people has been grossly affected, leaving a once economically-viable area with no distinct possibility for recovery.
He noted that on assumption of office, a Committee on Petroleum was constituted with a mandate to oversee oil companies and to ensure Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was adhered to.
The committee was to check infringements on the rights and livelihoods of communities.
The council boss said that a recent directive by Governor Nyesom Wike to the 23 local council chairmen to expose all illegal crude oil refineries in their areas was a morale boost to the existing Petroleum Committee of the council.
“In line with the governor’s directive, we immediately set up a task force to enable us track sites used for illegal refineries with a view of eliminating them. I went with the team through some of the creeks, and we discovered some bunkering sites.
“Andoni is very strategic in this illegal trade not in terms of numbers of illegal refineries but because so many crude oil pipeline connectivity traverses the creeks and our water bodies.
“Indeed, major distribution of crude oil source feeding illegal refineries which spike the trending challenge of soot within the state and beyond could be traced to oil theft activities in Andoni creeks,” he said.
Awortu commended the security operatives for their collaboration during the exercise where over 100 drums of illegally-refined fuel were impounded.
He also urged them to step up actions against perpetrators to curb the menace.
“Security agencies have a lot of work to do to protect the Federal Government pipelines.During the raid, we saw that some of the illegal refineries have already been destroyed by the security operatives but we urged them to do more.
“The areas we discovered the illegal refineries have, indeed, suffered monumental environmental damage as these refineries were constructed near fish settlements.
“In the past, fishes like the mood-skippers, different species of crabs and other seafood were visibly seen at creeks and river banks.Today, they are no more, even the mangroves are withered.
“This is the more reason why efforts by the governor against illegal refineries should be supported by all in the interest of our environment, health and livelihood,” he added.
The council boss warned against the illicit trade, promising to champion enlightenment and support for youth development through skills acquisition programme.
“We can no longer sit down and watch some lawless persons indulge in a business that is directly hazardous to our lives, environment and posing an unquantifiable deprivation on our local populace.
“We will continue to fight within the ambits of the law to ensure that oil theft seizes to thrive in Andoni LGA,” he promised.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.