Niger Delta

Reside In Your Domain, Diri Tells New Caretaker LG Chairmen …Says Bayelsa Deserves 30 Councils

Published

3 years ago

July 28, 2023

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has charged new caretaker committee chairmen of councils and their Rural Development Authority (RDA) counterparts in the state to reside in their local government headquarters.
Governor Diri gave the directive on Wednesday during the swearing-in ceremony of the eight councils and 32 RDA chairmen at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
The oaths of allegiance and office were administered by the state Chief Registrar, Amaebi Oruka.
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, stressed that the government will frown at any council chairman that flouted the directive on residency.
He also directed the new chairmen and their RDA counterparts to appoint only five Supervisory Councilors and that they are only entitled to three personal aides.
Governor Diri equally reminded them that the embargo on employment was still in force and that loans from banks and private sources were prohibited.
He urged the National Assembly to consider creating more local government areas for the state, stating that Bayelsa deserves at least 30 constitutionally.
He said: “All caretaker committee chairmen and Rural Development Authority chairpersons are to reside in their local government headquarters and daily work there. Any travel outside the local government must be with the permission from my office.
“For the eight local government chairmen, you are to appoint five supervisory counselors. You are entitled to three special assistants only. And they are personal assistant, chief security officer and protocol officer.
“There is still embargo on employment at all levels of staff be it temporary or casual employment. There is also a complete ban on all forms of borrowing, including loans from the bank and private sources.
“For emphasis, the issue of residency is very serious. We have had council chairmen that resided in Yenagoa. But we will no longer tolerate any chairman of council that makes Yenagoa his home rather than residing in the headquarters of the council or development authority.
“Bayelsa State currently has eight local government councils as enshrined and recognized by the 1999 constitution as amended. I therefore like to call on all members of the National Assembly from the state to make effort to ensure our 24 RDAs are recognized as local government councils.
“Local government councils should actually be the creation of the people of a particular state, depending on their resources. I do believe and know that if we control our resources in Bayelsa, we can create the number of local governments that will benefit our people.”
The new caretaker committee chairmen are Alabo Hanson Karima (Brass), Chief. Belemu Nemine (Ekeremor), Inemo Oruebimiekumo (Kolokuma/Opokuma ) and Chief Samuel Kalaguo (Nembe)
Others are Chief Ibu Williams Mizodome (Ogbia), Richman Samuel Ebipade (Sagbama), Lucky Okodeh (Souther Ijaw), and Mr. Tobi Andy (Yenagoa).
Among the newly appointed 32 RDA chairpersons were seven women.
The eight new caretaker local government chairmen in Bayelsa State taking the oath of office inside the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.

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.