Niger Delta

2023: Tinubu Pledges Infrastructure In Delta

Published

3 years ago

November 28, 2022

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, says he will address the infrastructure deficit in the riverrine communities in Delta State.
Tinubu gave the assurance, last Friday, while addressing the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the State.
The former Governor of Lagos State and his entourage were hosted by the King of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro Gbaraun II (Aketekpe Agadagba) Pere of Gbaramatu.
Tinubu addressed the crowd of party leaders and supporters at the pavilion in Oporoza, Administrative Headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The APC presidential candidate said he would not be far from the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom as President of Nigeria, promising that they would be carried along.
“You mentioned the roads, Sea ports, the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Industrial Park. I assured you that all these and more will be taken care off.
“As promised, we will not be far away from you; we will carry you along and consult with you regularly; we will encourage you and keep to our promises.
“Our brothers here, we will embrace them for the development of the area; the community of Gbaramatu and other associated communities,” he said.
Describing himself as the renewed hope for Nigerians, Tinubu said his administration would be premised on economic development, progress and jobs creation for youths.
He urged his opponent in the presidential race, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go and rest noting that he had ran for the position for too long.
“There are few of us left running the presidential race. One said he is Atiku. How many times has he been running?
“He is always on the run and he is tired, tell him to go and sit down, enough is enough,” Tinubu said.
He urged the King of Gbaramatu Kingdom to ensure that oil facilities in his kingdom were well protected from vandalism.
“Please pay attention to the dangers of the destructions of pipelines and petroleum facilities.They are dangerous to our health, the fish and everything you do,” he said.
Also, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, the APC Gubernatorial candidate in Delta, said one of the greatest challenges in the Gbaramatu Kingdom was lack of access roads to the mainland.
Omo-Agege promised to address it when he becomes the governor.
“I allude to the king when he said that the greatest challenges they face was access to the hinterland, that we need to have the kingdom bridged to the mainland.
“It is request that I will pursue as incoming governor with the incoming President, Tinubu, by the grace of God.
“I am familiar with this kingdom; the issue of the full implementation of the NMU.
“We know what the challenges are and I have undertaken those challenges with the National Assembly dealing with the enabling framework.
“Before the election, the enabling framework will be passed and signed by President Muhammadu Buhari into Law.
“We are also addressing the issues of funding with response to NIMASA,” he said.
Omo-Agege urged the people to vote for all the APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
Earlier, Tinubu and some members of his entourage were conferred with chieftaincy titles by the King of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Tinubu was conferred with the title of “Eyeilaowei” of Gbaramatu Kingdom, meaning “man of high esteem” while Omo-Agege was conferred with the “Ebeikiowei” of Gbaramatu Kingdom, meaning one who remembers the kingdom.
Other beneficiaries of the chieftaincy titles were: Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment.
Others were: Abdullahi Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State; Mai Buni, Governor of Yobe, among others.

Niger Delta

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

Published

20 hours 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

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

20 hours 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.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

20 hours 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.