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Dikio, Delivering PAP’s Mandate With Little Resources -Sylva
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has commended the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) for delivering the mandate of the scheme with lean resources.
He said Dikio’s remarkable achievements were a clear demonstration of his zeal to find himself on the right side of history.
The minister frowned at the inability of the various interventionist agencies set up by the Federal Government to address the concerns of people of the Niger Delta, saying it was time to make them work.
Sylva spoke at the weekend when he received Dikio at his country home in Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
He said: “We have to, as a people, stand together. We have had the Presidential Amnesty Programme for a long time but we have not been fortunate. If you look at what the programme was meant to achieve, we have currently not achieved it.
“This is because for some reasons, we have not been very fortunate. We can say that too for the NDDC. If you look at the two organisations, there are some reoccurring decimals.
“The people who started these organisations are similar or same persons. So, why are these organisations not delivering on the benefit that we expect from them? That is a great food for thought.
“Something is wrong. In the design, some people deliberately twisted it so that it will suit their own personal aggrandisement instead of helping the growth of the Niger Delta.
“But you’ve come at this juncture of history, and we are very proud of you because you’re doing very well. We must say that you’re even late in the day because today, the amnesty programme is not even getting as much as it used to get.
“If at this moment you’re doing so much with the little you’re getting, we can only imagine what you would have done during the hey days of the amnesty programme when there was a huge cash flow.
“Every time I see the National Security Adviser, I thank him for you, and I have always pledged my support that anything required from me concerning the amnesty programme, I will willingly do it”.
Sylva called on the leaders of the region to close ranks to attract more development, and lauded Dikio’s Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM) scheme, saying it had made the training of ex-agitators more rewarding.
He said: “Educationally, we are very disadvantaged.So, a programme like this should be able to help us reposition our young men for the future; and I’m happy you’re doing that. I especially like the idea of tying the two ends together, of training and employment.
“Because if you train young men, and you do not have any plans for employment, it can become a problem which is what we have seen. Young men are trained with no arrangement for their employment. They come back from their training, and they are roaming the streets. They become even more dangerous.
“As a region, we are not a very large population, and that is why we are called minority. As minority, we need to stand together, but unfortunately, that is one thing we lack. We are always standing against each other, fighting each other. If we can use our good offices to try to engender unity among our people, then it will be better for us”, he said.
Sylva called for collective efforts to fight against all forms of attack on the Niger Delta, particularly the destruction of the region’s environment.
He said the region was at risk of extinction because of the harmful practices of a few misguided elements, who engaged in the mindless attack on oil facilities.
The minister said: “We must also let our people know that we gain nothing from cutting our noses to spite our faces. As far as I am concerned, degrading our environment exactly means that we are cutting our noses to spite our faces. At the end of the day, who is suffering?
“You blew up a pipeline; there is spillage whose environment is suffering? And this is the same environment that has sustained our ancestors that we expect to sustain us and also sustain future generations. But our young men that have totally gone astray and have decided to wage a war against this environment that should sustain us so we are at the risk of extinction.
“Mr President has given us the mandate to stamp out this menace and we cannot do it without collaborating with you. So, please let us work together, not only as brothers from the region but as co-workers of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.