Niger Delta

Dep Gov Restates Bayelsa’s Stance On LG Autonomy, Grassroot Dev …As NULGE Hails Bayelsa’s Support

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2024

In view of the recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has clarified that the state government only supervised the councils to drive grassroots development.
He stated this recently when the State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Yenagoa.
The state’s number two man said the joint account with the councils had afforded government the opportunity to supervise its eight councils for prudent utilization of funds to execute rural projects in the various local government areas.
According to him, the “Prosperity Government” has never and will not tamper with council funds, but rather support the councils to meet their obligations at the grassroots level.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo restated that the Bayelsa Government augments the payment of primary school teachers’ monthly salaries in addition to giving funding support for primary healthcare services, and education authorities across the state.
He insisted that the state had made remarkable progress in rural development through prudent management of resources by the local government councils due to effective supervision from the State Government.
The Deputy Governor thanked NULGE for their support to government and condolences over the passing of his brother, promising to convey their requests, including calling for a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss how to relate with the councils.
He, however, noted that the convocation of the summit would depend on the outcome of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum meeting scheduled for this week to review the Supreme Court Judgement on local government autonomy.
“What we have done for the local government system is quite significant and speaks volume. We met local government councils in February 2020, which could not pay staff salaries without borrowing every month.
“But all that is now history. Today, the councils are awarding and executing contracts under the supervision of the State Government.
“We did not tamper with councils’ funds and will never do so. We only supervise to ensure a prudent utilization of funds to foster grassroots development. So, financially, the State Government will not lose anything as a result of the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy”, he stated.
Speaking earlier, the State NULGE President, Comrade Thank-God Singer, expressed fears that the laudable local government reforms initiated by the present administration might not be sustained if local governments are left without supervision from the state government.
He, therefore, called on the government to convene a stakeholders’ summit to discuss and work out modalities on how to safeguard the local government reforms in the state vis-a-vis the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
Comrade Singer, who on behalf of the Union condoled the Deputy Governor over the demise of his brother, appealed to the State Government to provide a bus for the Union and consider qualified council staff for appointment as Permanent Secretaries.
“When some of our colleagues called me after the Supreme Court Judgement, I told them the judgement will not do any new thing to us because we have been enjoying financial autonomy here in Bayelsa.
“Before this government came, most of our councils were insolvent. But today almost all of them are solvent and can pay salaries and even execute projects because of your able supervision, your reforms and labour friendly disposition”, the NULGE boss said.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.