Niger Delta

Diri Presents N385.2bn 2023 Appropriation Budget …Capital Expenditure Gulps N167.545bn

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2022

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has presented a N385,211,578,924 Appropriation Budget for the 2023 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly for consideration.
Presenting the proposal tagged: “Budget of Sustainable Growth and Reconstruction,” at the Assembly, Senator Diri said it was hinged on a six-pronged agenda, which include continuous building of infrastructure and reconstruction of such infrastructure that had been severely degraded by the floods.
He also said the Civil Service would be made more professional, while the agricultural sector will be transformed to be an essential contributor to the state’s economy and generate employment through various empowerment programmes.
He also stated that while his administration would continue to engage the Federal Government to intervene on the flood situation, a special Directorate for Flood and Erosion Control and Management would be established to provide technical support for flooding and erosion-related issues.
The Tide reports that the Governor further stated that the budget would be funded from various sources such as the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts to the tune of N153.511 billion, saying it represents 40% of the total appropriation.
Other are the 13% derivation with N148 billion, representing 39%, internally generated revenue (IGR) of N20 billion, representing 5%, grants of N16.7 billion, representing 4%, and loans of N47 billion, representing 12%.
Details of the proposed expenditure include personnel cost of N63.380 billion, overhead cost N95.458 billion, capital expenditure N167.545 billion, pension and gratuities (N14.711 billion), public debt servicing (N33.7 billion), and contributory pension, LGAs, Rural Development Authorities (RDAs) and SUBEB (N4.7 billion).
A sectoral breakdown of the budget proposal indicated that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure got the lion’s share of N77.924 billion, followed by Education Ministry N40.458 billion, totalling N118.382bn.
Other allocations were: Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (N14.199bn), Environment (N13.842bn), while Health had N12.526bn.
Governor Diri said Lands and Housing Ministry would get N7.278 billion, Information, Orientation and Strategy N6.319 billion, while Ministry of Transport N5.322 billion, and N5.793 billion was earmarked for the Local Government and Community Development Ministry.
The Tide further reports that while the Ministry of Youth and Sports was allotted N4.610 billion, Trade, Industry and Investment got N2.844 billion, and the Ministry of Power got N2.5 billion.
The Governor said the government had prudently implemented the 2022 budget and made noteworthy headway in executing several capital-intensive projects.
Such projects include the 22.2km Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie Road, which had been asphalted close to Angiama community, the bridge across the Silver River at Aguobiri Community that is about 90% completed, while work on the Angiama-Oporoma Bridge was ongoing and being adequately funded.
According to him, the continuation of the 42km stretch of the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, which asphalting had reached Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area, is scheduled to be completed within the first quarter of 2023.
“Work is also progressing on one lane and median of the 21km Igbogene-AIT/Elebele Outer Ring Road, while two sections of the road, Igbogene to Okarki and Imiringi to Elebele roundabout, have been completed. Work is ongoing on the two remaining sections of the lane,” he said.
He noted that construction of the Nembe-Brass Road, conceived over seven decades ago, was ongoing, stating that the first phase of the road covers 21km with 10 bridges and had a completion timeline of 24 months.
Responding to the Governor’s presentation, Speaker of the 6th Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, described it as historic, being the last of the Prosperity Government’s first tenure and the last the present crop of lawmakers would attend to before next year’s election.
The Speaker assured that the Assembly will prioritise the appropriation bill and ensure deliberation on it was completed before the end of the year.
He, however, drew the Governor’s attention to what he described as revenue leakages in the state IGR and advised that the financial team synergises to block such loopholes in the revenue generating agencies that he said were not remitting levies to the state coffers.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.

He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.

The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.

He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.

According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.

“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.

“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.

He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.

According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.

Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.

He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.

The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.

“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.

“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said

In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.

He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.

The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.

He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.

According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.

The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.

The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.

Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.

She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.

“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.

The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.

AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.

“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.

“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.

According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.

Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.

“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.

He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.

“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.

Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.

CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.

The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.

Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.