Niger Delta

Oborevwori Fixes Town Hall Meeting Against Challenges

Published

2 months ago

October 4, 2024

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has said he would soon engage the citizens in a strategic town hall meeting to dialogue on the challenges facing each local government in the state.
The Governor disclosed this when the State Executive of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by Rev. Lucky Osagbakhoe, visited him at the Government House, Asaba.
He said the town hall meeting would be part of his administration’s strategic engagements with the people.
He told CAN that the State Government had earmarked N1 billion for roads in each of the 25 LGA in the state in the 2024 budget.
He lauded the leadership of CAN for the visit, adding that it was an eloquent testament to the strong partnership between the government and faith-based organisations in the state.
He commended the fathers of faith for their steadfastness and the commitment of church leaders who had continued to uphold the government and the people of the state in their prayers and supplications to God.
According to him, the prayers of the Church have been a stabilising force for the government of Delta.
On the town hall meetings, he said, “We know it is necessary and we are doing a lot to touch all the local government areas so that when we hold the town hall meetings, we have things to showcase to them.
“A lot of projects are ongoing across the state and in each local government area, we made the provision of not less than N1 billion in the 2024 budget for road construction”.
Also, on high cost of living, the governor said that his administration had been doing a lot of empowerment programmes in the past few months.
“A few weeks ago, we did the MORE grant where we empowered 5,000 persons.
“A few days ago, too, we flagged off the distribution of fertiliser and other agricultural inputs to over 6,000 persons in Delta State.
“The hard times we are facing now are not peculiar to Delta state, but when you compare what we are doing in Delta with other states and with our huge workforce, you will see that we are doing our best.
“We are doing a lot of engagements because if we were not doing that, during the last EndBadGovernance protest, you would have seen something different.
“This is because Delta State was among the flash point states that was expected to have problems.
“We could see that there was no protest here yesterday because we are dialoguing and we believe in dialogue, rather than confrontation.
“I want to solicit again that you continue to put the government, both at the national and sub-national levels, in prayers because, prayers are very necessary for leaders to focus on how to provide good governance for the people”, he said.
Osagbakhoe congratulated Oborevwori on his victory at the 2023 gubernatorial poll and subsequent victories at various courts.
He said that CAN, as an association, had been in existence for many years and had made useful contributions to the peace, progress, unity and the development of the state.
He applauded the governor for his administration’s urban renewal drive, especially through road construction and reconstruction.
He said that members of the association were pleased with the infrastructural development initiative of his administration.
“We, also, like to acknowledge your administration’s peace building efforts, economic recovery and social safety nets and many other development in the state”, he said.
He, however, urged the governor to hold town hall meetings in the three senatorial districts of the state to enable him feel the pulse of the people.

Niger Delta

Bayelsa, Rivers To Establish Joint Anti-Vandalism Taskforce On National Grid, Others

Published

3 days ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

The Governments of Bayelsa and Rivers States have resolved to jointly work towards strengthening security architecture to protect power and other critical national assets in their border communities.

This decision, The Tide learnt, followed the outcome of a meeting between the Acting Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, and the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, at the Brick House, Port Harcourt.

In his remarks, Senator Ewhrudjakpo underscored the importance of effective collaboration between the two states to tackle power outage and its attendant socio-economic losses occasioned by criminal activities of vandals.

Lamenting that it cost Bayelsa so much political and financial capital to have power restored after a four-month period of blackout, the Acting Governor stressed the need for urgent and drastic measures to forestall the recurrence of such harrowing experience.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo seized the opportunity to thank the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his Deputy, Prof Odu, for showing concern over the Bayelsa plight and indicating readiness for collaboration to curb the menace.

“For the past four months, the transmission lines between Bayelsa and Ahoada in Rivers State have been vandalized almost three times. And to fix it, TCN was telling us one story after another.

“So, we decided to take it upon ourselves to make sure we fix the line. But having fixed it, what we need to do is to have a team that provides surveillance for that facility so that it will not be easily vandalized again.

“We believe if we have this kind of joint collaboration, it will be easier for our communities to protect the facilities. So we need to have a joint committee that will monitor the line between Rivers and Bayelsa”, the Bayelsa Ag. Governor said.

Earlier, the Rivers State Deputy Governor had assured the Bayelsa delegation of her state’s preparedness to contribute meaningfully towards the fight against transmission lines vandalism.

“We must do something about it because you don’t leave your problems or sweep them under the carpet. If you sweep them under the carpet, they remain there. You have to bring them out and find the strategy that works best to solve them”, Prof. Odu said.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, and her Rivers State Local Government Affairs counterpart, Prince Charles Beke, disclosed that both states had resolved to establish anti-vandalization taskforce committees that will work jointly to check the activities of power vandals.

Mrs. Koku-Obiyai, who emphasized the need for active community engagement in the security arrangements, informed that Bayelsa had already constituted and inaugurated a 10-member anti-vandalism taskforce, which has since commenced operations in the state.

Government officials who accompanied Senator Ewhrudjakpo to the meeting which was at the instance of the Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers State were, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Hon. Peter Akpe, and the Commissioner for Power, Engr Kumoko Kharin.

Others included the Commissioner for Community Development, Hon, Watson Belemote; the Mayor of Yenagoa City, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiware; the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, CP Agberebi Akpoebi (Rtd); and the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Anti-Vandalization Taskforce, CP Mary George (Rtd).

The Chairman of Ahoada West, Mr. Iyekor Ikporo, and that of Ahoada East, Mr. Chibudum Ezu, were part of the Rivers team, while the Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was represented by Engr Juliet Ndidi at the meeting.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

C’River Magistrates Threaten Indefinite Industrial Action

Published

3 days ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

Magistrates in Cross River State have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike last Monday over alleged poor welfare and other conditions of service.

This is contained in a release jointly signed by the State Chairman of Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Godwin Onah, and his Secretary, Solomon Abuo.

The Tide’s source reports that the Magistrates noted that the strike will not cease until their demands are met by the government.

They had earlier embarked on a 3-day warning strike to press home their demands and also warned that they will commence an indefinite industrial action should the government fail to meet their demands.

They said the government has failed to implement their promotions and see to their overall welfare and working environment.

According to the statement dated December 8, following the expiration of the warning strike, the magistrates have decided to embark on indefinite strike from Monday, December 9.

“Furthermore, sequel to our letter to the Governor of Cross River State dated 11th November, 2024, where the notice of strike, was extended to Friday 22nd November, 2024 to enable the State Government to attend to our demands, and having failed to do so till date, we hereby issue this bulletin.

“In line therefore, with our congress resolution to proceed on a three days warning strike is hereby declared by the state chapter of the Magistrates.

“This action in the first instance, will be effective from 6am of Wednesday, 27th November 2024 to Friday , 29th November, 2024.

“If the State Government fails to meet our demands, an indefinite strike shall be embarked upon until all our demands are fully met”.

Before the warning strike, the magistrates had earlier in November issued a seven days ultimatum to the state government to effect promotion for its members that have remained stagnant since 2015.

The magistrates also decried the payment of N15,000 as monthly impress to magistrates in the state when compared to magistrates in neighbouring states that receive between N200,000 and N250,000 monthly.

While also demanding for the rehabilitation of magistrate courts across the state, the association further condemned the government for none provision of official vehicles to it members.

It further demanded immediate implementation of promotion and regularisation of magistrates in the state with necessary financial benefits across all cadres as well as the implementation of all accrued arrears.

Niger Delta

NSCDC Holds Walk Against National Assets Vandalism In Edo

Published

3 days ago

December 13, 2024

The Tide

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo State has staged a walk to educate the public on the importance of protecting national assets and infrastructure from being vandalised.

State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Gbenga Agun, who led the sensitisation walk, said it was meant to intimate the public of its role in ensuring the protection of the assets at all levels.

“It is to sensitise the people on the importance of guiding our properties, that is, critical national assets and infrastructure from being vandalised”, he said.

Agun noted that protecting national assets was a collective responsibility because it encompassed everyone.

According to him, vandalism can be natural or man-made, and that the economic situation in the country can push some people to engage in destructive activities.

The NSCDC boss, however, encouraged the public to report cases of vandalism at any of the divisional offices in all local governments or the outpost stations.

Also speaking, the Head of Department, Critical National Assets and Infrastructure of the command, Mr Sule Muhammed, called for intelligence sharing on vandalism of any national assets for prompt action.

The Tide’s source reports that the walk, which featured the distribution of leaflets to motorists, shop owners, and passersby, began from the command headquarters at the Blessed Avenue in Benin and covered several major roads in the city.