Niger Delta
Bayelsa Poll: LP Candidate Solicits Youth’s Support
Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the November 11 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship polls, Eng. Udengs Eradiri, has charged youths of the state to rise up against the old order by voting for him, saying that is the only way to save the state.
He noted that with determination and dedication to protect their future, youths would turn around the fortunes of the state in the forth-coming elections, by voting for a new order exemplified by his candidacy.
Eradiri stated this in Odioma Kingdom of the Brass Local Government Area of the state, home town of his running mate, Com. Benjamin Natus (rtd).
The Labour Party’s governorship hopeful alleged that the old order had failed to progressively drive the economic comparative advantages of the state for its development, noting also that coastal communities and ocean cities like Odioma held the key to unlock the resource potentials capable of birthing a new state.
“This is the richest place in Bayelsa. I’m not here to play politics with you people. Odioma Kingdom has a free trade zone status.
“Every developed nation of the world ensures that they idolize their ocean cities. We’re the only people that are joking with our ocean wealth.
“Odioma is the blue economy, so if somebody is playing politics with road to Odioma or to Brass, he doesn’t understand the issues.
“The road is a necessity to unlock the wealth for Bayelsa. The jobs for our young people are here. They don’t see it, but I’m here to talk to young people. It’s time to take leadership”, Eradiri said.
The candidate who also bared his mind to his people on his Education, Agriculture and Power (PEAP) agenda, hinted that he has carefully crafted his agenda to address all the developmetal challenges of the state.
“We have carefully looked at the issues that are affecting our state. There are no functional state hospitals in Bayelsa. Mothers send their children to schools that don’t have teachers, the security situation is bad and there’s no drinking water in any part of this state.
“In order for us to revive the people’s morale, we must ensure that there welfare is topmost on our agenda. Under our agenda, we’ll deal with healthcare, we’ll deal with new towns. We’re going to build Brass Atlantic City.
“As we’re doing the new Yenagoa Town, we’re doing the Brass Atlantic City. The purpose is that we need to quickly begin to move towards the ocean.
“We’re going to deal with flooding first in Yenagoa. The flooding that affects the main town does not affect this side but you have ocean crisis. We’re going to deal with it.
“Odioma is not difficult to do. You need government to pile the water front and dredge the excess sand on the water way, fill up the shores of the land. Those things are not difficult, Bayelsa has ecological funds, so there is money to deal with it”, he added.
Reeling out his plan on education and skills development, the Labour Party governorship candidate said, “There are no teachers in our primary schools. We’re going to employ teachers, train them, pay their arrears, promotions and all that.
“Again, we want to introduce skills development. If we upgrade our craft development centers, build new ones, we make a law in Bayelsa, two years after, if you don’t have certificate, you will not practice. That way a lot of our young people will have skills. We’re going to invest in skills development.
“We’ll invest in upgrading our educational facilities. It’s only in Bayelsa that school children are learning with chalk and black board. The world have moved, they teach children with electronic display and data.
“We’re going to ensure that we upgrade educational facilities. We’re going to introduce data technology education”.
He reiterated that if he was elected come November 11, his administration would revive the state’s economy with agriculture, adding also that the state must attain self-sufficiency in food production.
“There’s sugarcane in this place, starting from Nembe. Sugarcane is growing untamed in Bayelsa. We’ll produce sugar in this state.Dry Gin is produced from sugarcane.
“If I take leadership in this state, everything we eat, we’ll produce it here: pepper, onion, crayfish, eggs, vegetables, we’ll produce in Bayelsa.
“If you plant pepper, you can earn a living from pepper. When we come in, we want to build a food processing and storage facility for the Bayelsa Airport.
“The Bayelsa Airport is a cargo airport, but we’re not using it for that purpose, because they can’t turn that place to make money for the people.
“If you build a food processing and storage facility, all the crayfish, fish that you produce here, you can export from the airport. All you need is for government to know what to do. So with agriculture, we’re going to change the landscape of Bayelsa.
Eradiri, a former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), also said his Government would be centered on producing 24 hours light in Bayelsa, adding that with the gas in Odioma alone, the state could power a turbine to provide power for all the communities.
“We’ll use the gas to power an industrial area. Thank God we already have the Odioma free trade zone. There’re a lot of companies, all they’re looking for is cheap gas and you have the gas here in Odioma.
“If you go to South Africa, almost all the car companies in the world have their plants by the ocean, because when they produce the vehicles there, they can use the ocean to ship them out.
“So we will approach them and use this place as a free trade zone, as an incentive and also to produce cheap gas that can power their factories as well as lower there production.
“There is what they call CNG- Compressed Natural Gas. it’s in Odioma here. It is what people are using to drive cars now.
“They’re converting from petrol car engine to gas engine, CNG that you have here. We are going to start CNG plants. Our boats, they will convert them to use CNG instead of fuel.
“We are not telling you to come and vote and go home. It is time to change it, give us your support. I am ready for this job, I have the experience”, Eradiri restated.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Head of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba, has charged the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (NAOMEW) World Wide, to be committed to professionalism, patriotism and effective service delivery in the discharge of their duties and rendering of patriotic gestures.
Mrs Gbaraba gave the charge yesterday when the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter paid her a courtesy call in her office in Port Harcourt.
She expressed deep appreciation for the visit, and assured the Association of her commitment to being a worthy Ogoni Ambassador like late Mr Augustine Nwikinaka, former General Manager of the corporation, to promote the fortunes of the corporation, while counting on their unflinching encouragement, prayers and support to succeed.
“ I am very happy to receive the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (The Tide Chapter) today in my office. I am glad you people came to my office, for those that know me in a short while in the corporation, I am a serious-minded person. I heard that the time the corporation was functioning well was under the leadership of late Austin Nwikinaka. Any where I go to, I will rather come down and show working example and that is what the Ogoni person is known for. So I am always proud to associate myself with an Ogoni man, so your support means so much to me,” Mrs Gbaraba said.
She assured them of running an open-door policy in the management of the corporation, and urged stronger partnership between NAOMEW, other unions, interest groups, corporate organisations, institutions and the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in professional service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter, the National Secretary of the association, Comrade Taneh Beemene welcomed her into The Tide family and also congratulated her on her very important appointment.
Taneh, who expressed confidence in her experience and abilities to deliver on her assignments, thanked her for the uncommon feats recorded in the corporation within her brief leadership. He said the corporation has been revived from its comatose status that predated her appointment.
“ Within your short time, you have given the corporation a remarkable facelift. We pray that God should give you the enablement to restore the dignity of the corporation. We have come to inform you that we are solidly behind you and will make our untiring contributions to make you succeed, “ he stated.
In his vote of thanks and closing remarks, the Chairman, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Production Workers (NUPPPPROW), Comrade Keyirale Donatus Nwiueh thanked the Head of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba for receiving the association in a warm manner, adding that she should count on the support of the association to succeed.
Kiadum Edookor
Niger Delta
OBALGA Sole Administrator Presents Brand New Fire Extinguishers To Council …Commiserates With Traders Over Rumuomasi Market Fire Incident …Commences Desilting Of Drainages
The Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has presented 150 brand new fire extinguishers to the council.
Dr Walter who spoke to newsmen at the council premises at Rumuodumanya said the gesture was part of measures by his administration to ensure safety of lives and council property from unforeseen fire incidents.
He urged the staff of the council to ensure the safety of the extinguishers, while promising to engage experts to teach them how to handle and operate the extinguishers.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator of Obio Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has commiserated with traders at the Rumuomasi Market over the unfortunate fire incident that gutted parts of the market.
Dr Walter who visited the market to assess the level of damage caused by the fire, described it as unfortunate
Addressing the crowd of distressed traders and community members, Dr. Walter acknowledged the historical significance of the market, which was originally built under the administration of the former Obio/Akpor Chairman and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON.
He noted that preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though a full investigation is still underway.
“As a local government, we will constitute a thorough investigation team to determine the root cause of the fire,
“Most importantly, we thank God that no lives were lost. I want to assure our traders that the Local Government will not abandon you.
“We will also work with security operatives to safeguard salvaged goods and prevent further losses,” he said.
He encouraged traders to adopt stricter safety measures, especially concerning electrical appliances in markets prone to fire hazards.
“There are many ways fires can ignite, even without an open flame. Let us all be vigilant and prioritise safety,” he cautioned.
Dr. Walter also commended those who stepped in to assist during the emergency.
“We are grateful to all who helped salvage goods and support affected persons during the crisis. Your kindness embodies the spirit of Obio/Akpor. The forthcoming investigation will help us put preventive structures in place,” he said.
The Chairman of the market, Mr. Prince Adele, who accompanied Dr. Walter, during the inspection, identified K-Lane as the most severely affected area.
A statement by the information officer to the council, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said no incident of death was reported by the traders during the visit.
In another development, the Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor local government council, Sir Clifford Ndu Walter, has commenced a comprehensive canal clearance campaign with a view to identifying and removal of all blockages including illegal structures hindering the free flow of waters in the area.
A statement from the council Press Secretary, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said during the inspection of key canals in the area, several unauthorised barricades and blockages were discovered and removed.
According to the statement, Dr Walter emphasised that illegal dumping, unapproved structures and poor drainage habits endanger communities and undermine government efforts, adding that his administration is committed to protecting lives and property of the citizens.
It said the Sole Administrator also declared his readiness to ensure that all canals and drainages are cleaned, maintained and functioning effectively.
He also warned against further dumping of waste in waterways, citing impending flooding.