Rivers
Monarch Begs For Recognition
The Te-Ere-Bue Yagwerea of Bori Kingdom, Confidence Lebura, has called on the Rivers State Government to accord his Kingdom the due recognition it deserves.
Lebura, in an interview with newsmen, said the Te-Ere-Bue Yagwerea authority, which covers the entire Yeghe Clan, including Bori metropolis in the heritage of Gbene Yaagooroh, is long overdue for recognition from the State Government.
The monarch explained that his authority has been in existence in the last 100 years, especially when Ogoni was still under the Colonial Authority of Opobo District.
According to him, since the creation of Rivers State, the Te-Ere-Bue Yagwerea authority has been in existence and the people of Yeghe Clan who are his subjects had made enormous contributions towards the development of Ogoni, particularly Bori metropolis and its environs.
The monarch insisted that the throne of Bori (Yeghe), which is the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland, should be given due recognition by the State Government.
He wondered why the six other kingdoms in Ogoniland: Eleme, Gokana, Tai, Southern Khana, Northern Khana and Babbe Kingdom from Southern Khana, are given due recognition, while Yeghe, otherwise called Bori Kingdom, which has been in existence since the establishment of the Opobo district, is neglected.
He, however, blamed the marginalisation on the alleged conspiracies from those in government positions from the neighbouring communities against his people.
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As part of effort to enhance service delivery and productivity, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Barr. Patience Omereji, has again charged staff to demonstrate commitment in their duties.
A statement signed by the Assistant Director of Press in the Ministry, Martha Igbikis, said this directive aims to drive progress in achieving the ministry’s mandate of providing citizens with gainful employment and empowering them with skills to become self-reliant.
According to the statement, in a meeting with staff members at the ministry’s conference hall in Port Harcourt, Barr. Omereji emphasized the ministry’s vision, noting that it will guide actions that will bring it to fruition.
The Permanent Secretary, who is also a knight of Saint Mary, stressed the importance of commitment and punctuality in the workplace, noting that these values are essential in achieving the ministry’s vision and ultimately benefiting the people of Rivers State.
“As public servants, we have a responsibility to serve the people of Rivers State with dedication and professionalism.
“I expect every staff member to demonstrate commitment and punctuality in their duties, as this will enable us to deliver quality services to our citizens”, the Permanent Secretary urged.
“On our part as management, we will do everything within our means to ensure a conducive working environment”, she added.
Responding on behalf of other staff, the Director of Employment in the ministry, Mr. Napoleon Akpe, expressed appreciation to Barr. Omereji’s leadership and initiatives, noting that, they are eager to implement her directives and contribute to the state’s economic development.
“We will work tirelessly to identify opportunities for job creation, skills development, economic empowerment, and ensure that our programmes are impactful and beneficial to the people of Rivers State”, she said.
Civil Society organisations (CSOs) and residents of Kpean Community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State have called for decommissioning of abandoned oil wells operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, now Renaissance Energy Africa, blaming them for decades of environmental pollution caused by persistent spills.
The demand was made during an inspection of a recent oil spill in the area by CSOs, including the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Kebetkache Women Development Centre, and Lekeh Development Foundation.
Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, described the abandoned wells, some of which have been inactive since 1992, as a major threat to lives and livelihoods in Kpean.
“These spills confirm that there has never been a proper response to oil pollution in the Niger Delta over the past seventy years. Old oil wells, like those in Yorla and Well 14, have been left to continuously pollute the environment. This is a disaster waiting to happen”, Bassey warned.
He urged government agencies to compel oil companies to dismantle and decommission obsolete facilities, replace corroded pipelines, and clean up polluted sites rather than contemplating reopening them.
“It makes no sense to continue with this cycle of disaster from abandoned oil facilities. Communities should not be left to suffer while oil companies keep celebrating profits. This has to stop”, he added.
Executive Director of Lekeh Development Foundation, Friday Nbani, stressed that beyond dismantling old wellheads, remediation of farmlands and restoration of livelihoods should be prioritised.
“Enough is enough for oil spills in Ogoni. Just as oil companies and government work together to exploit our resources, they must also work together to solve community problems and ensure remediation”, Nbani said.
He stated that a proper decommissioning process and environmental assessment must be carried out to return the land to fertility.
“What we are after is a clean environment. We are not after the process, divestment or no divestment. Whoever is responsible for that facility should act very fast because it poses dangers and risks to fishermen and farmers in the community”, he added.
Also speaking, Youth Leader of Kpean Community, Comrade Lemii Peteaba, lamented decades of neglect despite the community hosting about 17 oil wells.
“Since the Ogoni struggle of 1993, Shell abandoned its facilities, leaving the wells corroded and unsecured. Our demand is simple: decommission the oil wells, fence the sites, and provide security”, Peteaba said.
He disclosed that during the August 3 spill, vandals attempted to sabotage one of the wells but were apprehended by community members and handed over to the police.
Peteaba also highlighted the lack of infrastructure in the area, noting that the only bridge built before 1993 has become impassable, further worsening access to the wells.
The CSOs and community members insisted that the decommissioning of the abandoned oil wells remains the only way to avert further disasters and restore a safe environment for fishing, farming, and other livelihoods in Ogoni land.
By: Enoch Epelle
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council and ex-Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, has suggested the adoption of an electronic voting system for the conduct of Local Government Council elections in the state.
Lloyd made this suggestion while fielding questions from newsmen after casting his vote at Ward 10, Unit 009 Omudioga/Akpabu/Itu, in Akpabu, Emohua Local Government Area, during the recently concluded LG polls on in the state.
He said the electronic voting system, if introduced, would make the process seamless.
He, however, explained that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) is not permitted by law to operate such a system unless there is a proper arrangement with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“What I like in the electronic voting system is when my details crop up from the computer with my picture. It is something unique”, he said.
Citing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which he said has adopted the computer-based voting system, he noted that it has so far relieved them of a significant level of election-associated stress.
Describing the general process as peaceful, he said this was due to a well-structured selection process during the primary elections of the political parties.
Lloyd, who contested for the position of Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council under the All Progressives Congress (APC), noted that the political parties at the primary level featured their “first eleven”, thus making the exercise rancour-free.
The ex-lawmaker, who is also a lawyer, said the past challenges experienced during council elections were due to a fractured primary election process.
“The election is peaceful, that is why we are able to make it to my community. With the kind of understanding that is going on, it is no longer winner takes it all. I wish it could continue”, he said.
On his part, the Chairman Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council, Mr. Chukwu Sheddrack Ogbogu, who contested the just-concluded LG Elections under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also adjudged the exercise as most peaceful, but frowned at the late arrival of electoral materials.
Ogbogu, who casted his vote at his ward in Oboburu, eulogized the RSIEC team for a well-tailored exercise and appreciated his people for their massive support.
Lloyd, while dissecting the issue of the late arrival of materials, said it should not be blamed on RSIEC, because the commission doesn’t have its own vehicles for logistics and relies on the support of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Both Lloyd and Ogbogu have been sworn in as Chairmen of their various Local Government Councils by the RSIEC Chairman, Dr. Michael Odey, and his team.
By: King Onunwor
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