Niger Delta
…Pays Medical Bills For Victims Of Boat Mishap …Warns Against Violence During Rerun Polls In Bayelsa
Bayelsa State Government has taken over the medical bills of the victims of last Thursday’s boat mishap at Okoroma Community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
The Tide learnt that Governor Douye Diri last Sunday directed the Commissioner for Health to ensure that the sttate Government picks the bill of hospitalised victims.
Speaking during the Easter Sunday service at the King of Glory Chapel in Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Diri, who sympathized with families that lost individuals in the boat accident, also directed the Health Commissioner to refund survivors whatever they had spent on treatment.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted the Governor as directing all relevant authorities in the transport sector, especially those in charge of the waterways, to ensure that all safety measures were duly complied with henceforth to avert a reoccurrence.
He said his administration will not hesitate to sanction anyone found wanting in the discharge of their duties as government will no longer allow such avoidable accidents.
Speaking on the rerun House of Reps and House of Assembly polls for the Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency and Ogbia Constituency 2 respectively, the Bayelsa helmsman called for peaceful conduct of the elections, saying the events that led to the rerun must be avoided.
He stated that in the spirit of Easter, politicians should see politics as a means to serve the people and not engage in actions that negate value for the lives of people they intend to serve.
He also urged politicians and their followers in the state to close ranks after the general election, stressing that Bayelsa can only move forward when there is unity and love towards one another.
”No power could prevent Jesus from resurrecting and no power will hold anyone or Bayelsa State down.
“As you already know, for us as a government, it is about how we can live in peace and harmony. We have rejected cultism and it can never be part of us again. If we believe in the resurrection power, we must show love and sacrifice like Jesus and God did.
“My message is very clear. We have seen the resurrection and its power. Whatever that was dead in our lives, the power of resurrection will affect it.
“As Ijaw people, we live by the truth and we will indeed be set free. Elections have come and gone. Whatever our differences were, let us put them aside. It is time for reconciliation.
“The power of government is to do good, to be compassionate, to bring development and ensure peace.
“On April 15, we have rerun elections. Let me use this opportunity to again make this call. Our purpose is to serve the people. So, in this rerun poll, what led to it should not repeat itself. That was a bad publicity for Bayelsa State.
“I also call on INEC and the security agencies to do their job. Democracy is about the people and not politicians. Let us go as brothers and sisters to the rerun election. All I ask for as governor of this state is peace and for us to be civil”, he said.
Delivering a sermon, Chaplain of the King of Glory Chapel, Pastor David Yalah, said the resurrection of Jesus is real and it gave hope to Christians that death will not always have power over them.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Michael Abraham
The Natural Ruler and Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Edward I, Perekule XI, has hailed the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, for recognising indigenes of his community through conferment of honours.
He also congratulated Bonny indigenes who were conferred with the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) award by the Rivers State Government.
The awardees are Chairman of Bonny Local Government Council, Alabota Anengi Dagogo Claude-Wilcox; Amaopusenibo Rodaford Longjohn; Amaopusenibo Kingsley Fubara Hart; Hon. George Fubara Tolofari; Hon. Aye Atamah Pepple; Hon. Christopher Green; and Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple.
The monarch also expressed gratitude to Wike and the state government for finding Bonny indigenes worthy of such recognition.
In a statement, the monarch, who had also been honoured by the Rivers State Government for his contributions to the development of Nigeria and Rivers State, said the award would motivate the recipients and others to put more efforts towards making Rivers State the cynosure of all eyes. He used the opportunity to appreciate the former governor, for his outstanding achievements, while praying that the present Governor, Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara, who is an Ibani son, would surpass his accomplishments.
The Paramount Ruler, who was present at the presentation of the awards, prayed for more successes in their political careers and other endeavours, and hoped that they would continue to be good ambassadors of Bonny Kingdom.
Residents of Cross River State have appealed to the new governor of the state, Sen. Bassey Otu, to enthrone good governance in the state as he assumes office.
The residents who spoke with The Tide source during the inauguration of Otu said with the present situation in the state, it was important for the new governor to hit the ground running.
Former Commissioner for Health in the state, Mrs Janet Ekpenyong said the residents are very hopeful that the governor would perform and succeed in his endeavour.
“I hope that as Otu assumes office, he will bring on some people who will give him the necessary and explicit support that he requires to move the state forward.
“There is a huge gap of human resources in the state’s health sector; although, the former governor started the process of recruiting more hands, we expect the governor to bring in more competent hands to bridge the gap.
“He should also focus on the the renovation of our health facilities especially those at the secondary level and also ensure that there is enough commodities and drugs to cater for residents of the state,” she said.
Ekpenyong added that there was also need to invest and expand the state’s health insurance scheme as it was a low hanging fruit and would bridge healthcare gap in the state.
Similarly Mr Jackson Bassey said although the new governor might have a good heart but he needed to stand his ground with the will power to do the right thing.
Mrs Ikaete Anang said the people were tired of long speeches without action from their elected officials assign that what they wanted was performance.
Anang called on the new governor of the state to try his best in assuaging the suffering of the people of the state, especially the women.
“We need to make Cross River viable, clean and green again so that the people can rejoice; it has been a painful last four years and we must tell ourselves the truth,” she maintained.
The source reports that the inauguration of the the governor of Cross River took place at a packed UJ Esuene Stadium with colourful cultural troupes and many dignitaries in attendance.
A delegation of Global South scholars and activists are embarking on a lobbying and advocacy tour of European capitals to discuss the urgent issue of an ecosocial energy transition.
The seven participants are following up on a global manifesto published this year decrying a new Green colonialism and urging more equitable approaches to achieving a fossil-free future.
Miss Kome Odhomor, Media/Communications Lead at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said this in a statement on Monday in Yenagoa.
HOMEF, a Nigeria based environmental group is a participating member of the coalition of groups making up the delegation.
The delegation will hold public events, meet with policymakers and NGOs, and engage with members of the media in Berlin, Brussels, and London from May 29 to June 2.
According to her, the mission of the delegation is to inject Global South perspectives into current European policy discussions around energy and environment.
“The delegation will include the Right Livelihood award winner, a Nigerian activist Nnimmo Bassey, widely published Argentine sociologist and philosopher Maristella Svampa, the Fijian international human rights lawyer Kavita Naidu and Indian activist-researcher Madhuresh Kumar.
“Others are Brazilian-Spanish activist-scholar Breno Bringel, Venezuelan linguist and ecofeminist Liliana Buitrago, and South African-Swedish scholar-activist Vasna Ramasar.
“The tour is organized by the Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact of the South, the Global Just Transition project of the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives,” she said.
She said that while in Germany, the delegation would in Berlin, meet the press in the morning of Tuesday and hold a public event co-sponsored by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung at 5 pm (Str. der Pariser Kommune.)
She said that in Brussels, Maristella Svampa would participate in a public event “The Green Transition and Critical Minerals” on May 30 at 12:30 at CCND.
“Also in Brussels, on May 31, the delegation will meet with NGOs at Mundo-madou at noon co-sponsored by Oikos.
“The itinerary further shows that in the evening of May 31 in Brussels, the delegation will hold a public event at 6 pm co-sponsored by Broederlijk Delen at GEC in Ghent (Kon. Maria Hendrikaplein.
“In London, the delegation will meet with NGOs on June 1 beginning at 1 pm at Kairos House,The Bookroom, Essex Hall, 1-6 Essex Street.
“While on June 2, in London, there will be a public event at Pelican House at 6 pm (144 Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green).”