Niger Delta

Bayelsa Enjoying Continuity In Governance

Published

3 years ago

February 13, 2023

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the state is enjoying steady growth due to the continuity policy of his administration.
Diri stated that continuing projects of previous administrations had not only saved funds of the state, but also ensured that they reaped the full benefits of the policy.
The Bayelsa helmsman, who spoke during the inauguration of a new complex for the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme (BHIS) in Yenagoa, noted that the scheme was a brainchild of the immediate past administration of Senator Seriake Dickson.
Delta State Governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, inaugurated the BHIS House as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the Diri administration.
Diri said his administration decided to continue with the health scheme due to its benefits to people of the state, stating however, that his administration expanded it to accommodate the informal sector so as to reach out to more people.
The Bayelsa Chief Executive added that the BHIS House was constructed to give workers a befitting office space to implement the programme and to ensure that the health system of the state was on the right track.
“This health scheme was initiated by my immediate past predecessor. We looked at it and saw the benefits for our people. We decided to continue and expand it. Today it has accommodated the informal sector”, he said.
Also speaking, the Delta State Governor, Dr. Okowa, commended the implementation of the health insurance scheme in Bayelsa, saying it is among the few states in the country where the scheme is functional.
Describing health insurance as important, Okowa said it caters to the health needs of the very poor and that the essence of governance is to touch the lives of the ordinary people.
He lauded the Diri’s administration for building a befitting office space for the scheme, saying it will enhance its implementation.
The PDP Vice Presidential candidate also hailed former Governor Seriake Dickson for initiating the BHIS and commended Diri for not deviating, saying continuity in governance is laudable, especially when the policy is about the people.
Okowa decried the non-release of funds by the APC-led Federal Government, which he said had stalled implementation of the scheme at the federal level.
He promised that when elected into office, the PDP will ensure that every aspect of the Health Act is made operational.
“I am truly excited because it is about the people. When we take care of the health of the people, we are touching their lives. Obviously, through the Health Insurance Scheme of Bayelsa State, the lives of the people are impacted positively.
“I must thank the Government of Bayelsa for the level they have attained in the health sector. Many states cannot boast of the number of functional healthcare centres in Bayelsa State”, Okowa said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Pabara Igwele, said the BHIS policy is in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendations to provide for the health needs of the people.
He said after the inauguration of the BHIS by the immediate past administration, it has grown to the point where other states understudy the progress made by the state.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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.