Niger Delta
Obi Unveils LP Candidate’s Manifesto, Campaign Office In Bayelsa …Tasks Citizens On Electing Responsible, Accountable Leaders
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 Presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, midweek, inaugurated the campaign office of the the Bayelsa State Governorship candidate of the LP for the November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election, Eng. Udengs Eradiri in Yenagoa, the State capital.
The Tide reports that Mr Obi, who also unveiled the manifesto of the candidate, christened “People, Education, Agriculture and Power (PEAP)”agenda, noted that the bane of the nation’s underdevelopment and poverty was because Nigeria, rather than being a production economy, has drifted to a consumption economy in the comity of states.
He reiterated that the only way out of the worrisome situation was for the citizenry to hold leaders accountable through unbiased investigation into the antecedents surrounding their emergence.
He also said all campaign promises and manifestos of candidates standing for any election in the nation be subjected to citizens scrutiny prior to, and in the post elections era.
Obi also described the state as the cradle of the hydrocarbon industry, maintaining that upon his arrival to the state, there was no commensurate development which has been made to bear by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“After Sokoto, Bayelsa State is ranked the second poorest state in Nigeria. That’s because the Federal Government has not been fair to the state. Nigeria hasn’t really been fair to Bayelsa State.
“Driving from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to here in Bayelsa State, I’ve not seen any good road.
“Last year, this State was completely flooded. It was under water, and so I visited this State and found out that the Federal Government totally neglected this State. Nothing came from them.
“For over 67years the Federal Government has been exploring and exploiting crude oil in this state and there’s no good road leading to this state.
“If for the over sixty years that they’ve been drilling oil here, the Federal Government has done something, even if it a was just a kilometer of road, by now there would have been good road to this state.
“The only alternative to change this bad scenario is to vote for Eng. Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, come November 11th, 2023″, he said.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of the Party, Barr. Julius Abure, said the national Secretariat of the party and its presidential candidate decided to come personally to campaign for its governorship candidate, and unveil his manifesto because the party believes in his candidature.
Abure noted that the party was poised to winning the polls, saying Eradiri was the most qualified and competent amongst all the candidates from all the parties which have fielded candidates for the elections.
“The Labour Party candidate, Eradiri, is the only candidate contesting the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship elections with a blueprint. APC and PDP don’t have a blueprint.
“Remember that our Presidential candidate, Obi won the 2023 Presidential elections. I advise you to vote and defend your votes for the Labour Party governorship candidate, Udengs Eradiri”, Abure said.
Meanwhile, Eradiri reiterated his willingness to partner youths and other well meaning individuals towards the rapid socio-economic development and transformation of the State from its current ranking as a poor state to a wealthy state.
He stated that he would build technology and manufacturing hubs in the state if elected as Governor, come November 11th, 2023.
The Tide gathered that the Bayelsa State Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Eng. Eradiri, was one time President of the Pan-Ijaw youth body, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC Worldwide), and was also a former Commissioner in the Bayelsa State Ministries of Youths Development, and Environment.
“We’d build export hubs in our airport, and we’d begin to export our commodities here in the state to Europe and other parts of the world, thereby creating jobs for our unemployed youths and creating wealth for our people.
“We’d make Bayelsa State the best in Education and Power, Agriculture. We’d put our people, that’s you and you and all of us first in our plans and programmes. We’ld make our health sector work. We’d infact have the best health system and education system in the nation, West Africa and all over the African continent.
“We don’t have money to give to voters on election day. But we know they’d bring you money. That’s your money, and not theirs. But just collect the money and vote for Udengs Eradiri and Benjamin Nathus as Governor and Deputy Governor, come November 11th, 2023, and your life, this state will never be the same again”, Eradiri said.
Speaking earlier, in his opening remarks, the State Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr Eneyi Zidougha, thanked Bayelsans for having confidence on the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
He stated that amongst nine aspirants that contested for the party’s gubernatorial primaries, Eradiri emerged victorious because he was the best and most competent for the position, noting that the party was going to win the November 11th, 2023 polls with landslide victory.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board (RSPHCMB) says it will commence Supplemental Immunization activities on Saturday, May 3, 2025, to vaccinate children from 0-5 years across the State.
The State Health Educator, Dr. Diana Babbo, who stated this during a sensitisation meeting with Media Advocate for Health, Rivers State, on the update of immunization exercise in Rivers State, said the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) is a re-enforcement of the routine immunization at the health facilities.
According to her, it is aimed at boosting polio immunisation against the circulating variance of polio virus currently threatening the total eradication of polio in the country.
She further stated that there are four pillars of polio eradication, namely routine immunization (administered on babies in the health centre), supplemental immunization activity (supplements to boost the babies), surveillance (searching for children that have weakness in their legs or some oart of their bodies), and outbreak response.
The Health Educator noted that the Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Type 2 (NOPV 2) will be administered to children under the age of 0-5 years, which targets a specific polio still in existence in communities and capable of causing paralysis among the stated categories of children, despite the country being certified a polio-free nation.
Dr. Babbo further stated that this year’s NIPDs will address the high number of unresolved non-compliance cases in the State.
She debunked what she tagged a false rumour by mischief makers which claimed that the vaccines are responsible for the development of autism in children.
She said, “vaccines are not known to be responsible for the development of autism. We’re just hearing that. The truth is that one cannot know everything.
“That aspect that has been found, have we looked into other aspects, such as genetically modified foods, drinks, and milks that our children are taking?
“Have we also looked at genetic compatibility between couples before we now say vaccines are causing x, y, z things?
“Are we looking at the environment where these things are happening, what they are peculiar to?
“It must not be peculiar to all the families, there could be something also that’s happening around that we have not known. Research is evolving, let us not accuse our precious vaccines that have succeeded so far in my knowledge, to keep as many sicknesses at bay.
“The reason we do not have small pox in our world today, apart from the lab (a bio-lab) is because we vaccinated to the point where we were able to move small pox totally out of existence from human beings. We can succeed with that same pattern with all kinds of viruses”.
She stated that the connection between autism and vaccination could merely be coincidence.
Babbo, therefore, urged all parents, churches, and school owners to avail their children/wards the opportunity to be vaccinated against polio the stated exercise.
Sogbeba Dokubo
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has restated his administration’s commitment to providing more support to security agencies operating in the state.
He stated this on Tuesday when he received heads of security agencies, including Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Admiral N.M. Madugu, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 16, Yenagoa, Tolani Alausa, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor assured security agencies across board that his administration would collaborate with them to protect lives and property as well as critical national assets on land and the waterways by providing patrol vehicles, boats and other necessary logistics.
He informed the new OPDS Commander that the task force had a responsibility to protect critical national, state and community assets contributing not only to the daily oil production output for the federal government but also to development and growth of the state.
The Governor stressed that the partnership between the state government and the task force had ensured that crime rate in the state was reduced.
“As a government, we are working round the clock with the security agencies so that our people can sleep with their two eyes closed and also ensure that national assets are safe for the benefit of the people and the government.
“Often, it is misconstrued as though these assets are only for the federal government. Rather, they are for the state, communities and the federal government. So we must work hand-in-gloves to ensure they are safe.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility to always ensure that these critical national, state and community assets are kept safe”, he said.
Responding to the request of the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ahmed Gaya, the Governor stated that he had signed the Certificate of Occupancy of the land allocated to the Nigerian Navy at the New Yenagoa and approved a secondary school at Toru-Ebeni in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
He said the State Government was waiting for the naval authorities to commence development of the land.
The new JTF Commander, Rear Admiral Madugu, stated that the visit was to formally introduce himself and to solicit the government’s support to achieve his aim of protecting the critical oil and gas facilities in his area of operation and fulfil the presidential mandate of increasing oil production to 2.5mbpd.
While promising to work with the Nigerian Police to maintain peace in the state, Diri admonished AIG Tolani to be repentant and be more professional in his duties having attained a top position in the force.
The Governor, who recalled the role Tolani played when he was Commissioner of Police in the state during the 2023 governorship election, said: “Let bygone be bygone and work according to your conscience. Ensure that you are repentant and do what is right. Your zone covers Bayelsa and Rivers states and let the interest of both states be uppermost on your mind.”
On disputes among community youth associations, the state’s helmsman wielded the big stick and announced the dissolution of such body in Famgbe Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
He directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, working with the Commissioner of Police, to ensure a proper election is held in the community.
Diri also warned that traditional rulers whose communities were embroiled in conflicts would be sanctioned.
“Every other feuding community, including Ogboinbiri, we are still watching you. I have told all traditional rulers, if you cannot ensure peace in your domain but waiting for my wrath to dangle on you, then both traditional rulers and youth bodies will be sacrificed”, Diri said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said no profession in the health sector was superior to others, saying there was need for cooperation among workers in every health facility to achieve optimal results.
He stated this during a courtesy visit by the Bayelsa branch of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) to his office in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
He assured that a good number of certified and competent medical laboratory scientists, as well as other medical and health practitioners would be employed based on the needs assessment indices at government’s disposal in the ongoing civil service recruitment exercise.
While appreciating their contributions to quality healthcare service delivery, he said government was ready to collaborate with the Association and other critical stakeholders in the sector to make health services more affordable and accessible to people of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, said the current recruitment drive was aimed at addressing manpower needs in some critical sectors, including health, to improve service delivery in the state.
“We’re making progress in the health sector in Bayelsa. But we also admit that there is still much room for improvement.
“As you’re aware, applicants are applying to the state civil service, and some employment slots have been approved for Medical Doctors and Laboratory Scientists to be employed.
“We need competent and highly qualified personnel to be employed into the service to provide quality services.
“Every health worker has a role in health promotion. No profession in the health sector is superior to another. We are ready to collaborate with you to make health services more affordable and accessible to all Bayelsans”, he said.
Earlier in her presentation, the State Chairman of the AMLSN, Eunice Ayamaere Lelei, said there was need for government to employ more qualified laboratory scientists, and provide modern laboratory equipment in all its medical facilities across the state.
Lelei, who emphasized that laboratory scientists play a critical role in healthcare services in Nigeria, called for the implementation of the approved call duty allowance for members of the Association, and funding support for their Mandatory Professional Continuing Development programmes.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa