Niger Delta

A’Ibom Govt Boycotts Court As Hearing Commences Over Manipulated Teachers’ Recruitment

Published

4 years ago

March 18, 2022

The Akwa Ibom State Government on Wednesday boycotted the court as a legal battle between the state and Obolo nation over alleged manipulation of the last 1000 teachers’ recruitment began.
Obolo nation consisting of Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, Urueoffong/Oruku, and Udunguko LGAs through their lawyer, Mr. Sunday Afiko, had approached the state High Court demanding to know the perimeters used in the last teachers’ recruitment exercise where a great number of Obolo people were not employed after scoring high points.
In suit number HU/322/2, the defendants include; the Executive Chairman, Secondary School Education Board, Akwa Ibom State, the Secondary School Education Board, the Commissioner for Education, the Honorable Attorney General, and Commissioner for Justice and Akwa Ibom State Government.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Uyo on Thursday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Afiko, said that in the recruitment exercise, all the local government areas in Obolo nation had a paltry four to nine slots while other LGAs had between 20 and 70 slots.
Afiko, who confirmed to own evidence for the court, said after Obolo people had as high as 92 and above scores in the examination, they were still marginalised and ultimately denied employment.
“In the last 1000 teachers recruitment, Eastern Obolo was given just four slots, Ibeno eight slots while some local government areas like Oron had nine and non of them had up to 20 and above. This is very sad as other Ibibio nation had as many as 20 to 70 slots and IbesikpoAsutan had 79 slots.
“Aside from the slots, now we are asking what is the perimeters they (government) used in giving the employment.
“They had filed their processes alleging that their processes were on merit. But, we have filed our reply challenging the process and now they are saying it was on approved score. And we are saying the approved score is so vague, that is not what to use in quantifying merit.
“If it was on merit, it should be that those who had like 70, 79,90 and above were employed, therefore people from your locality never had 90 that is why they were not employed but, our people, I have exhibited records, scored 92 an above and were not given employment.
“Our people took full participation in the process, but, were not given the opportunity, they were marginalised,” he said.
“From what they filed, we just saw that they don’t have any case and the court in its wisdom said for the interest of the security of the state because of the nature of the matter, we should explore option on peaceful settlement which we were open to such option.
“So, we were open to Attorney General using his good office to say my people come let’s look at what the challenges are, SSEB, why didn’t you employ these people?
“We could have chatted a way forward but, they have not done that. We have been the ones pestering them and calling for settlement meetings.
“Today, the court has said okay, since the matter was adjourned for settlement or further mention, we should move forward and take our case,” Afiko added.
Meanwhile the court, presided over by Justice ArchibongArchibong due to state government absenteeism, had adjourned the matter to April 14, 2022.

Niger Delta

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

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.