Niger Delta

Board Lauds CMD Over Innovations In FMC, Asaba

Published

12 months ago

March 17, 2025

The Chairman, Board of Management of the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Dr. Mary Alile-Idele, has commended the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the centre, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, along with his team for the medical innovations, infrastructural projects, and efficient operational system at the centre.
Dr. Alile-Idele also called for more funding by the Federal Government to complete several ongoing projects in the next two years.
She used the opportunity to encourage all government institutions across the country to emulate the monthly biometric capturing of staff at the centre, to detect cases of staff receiving salary after traveling overseas for better welfare packages.
She stated this in Asaba while speaking to newsmen shortly after taking a tour on facilities and operations at the centre weeks after her appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Doctor Alile-Idele, who observed that there was no shortage of medical and health personnel at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, over jakpa syndrome, hinted that there is replacement for noticeable manpower vacuum.
“The jakpa syndrome has not really affected FMC, Asaba, much. One of the things they have been able to do here as an organization, is that within a month, they are able to identify if staff have moved out of the system, so that they can be replaced.
“I have seen organisation where people have jakpared two years, and they are still on salary. It’s something that I can not even understand how that is possible.
“But without mentioning names, I have heard some horrible stories of somebody living in England, and still collecting salary in Nigeria for the next two years. Such a thing should not even be encouraged.
“In FMC, Asaba, that is even one of the things we looked at, and I was in the administration department, and I saw that they have a system in place that all staff in this organization do biometrics on a monthly basis.
“So, if you are not available to do your biometrics, oh well, we take it that you have moved out. So, you didn’t do biometrics the first month, second month and third month, and we can’t find you, then why should we pay you”, Dr. queried.
She restated the commitment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to the actualization of the renewed hope agenda in all sectors.
She said Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, was “well equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and experienced personnel to provide top notch healthcare to residents of the state and neighbouring states”.
While commending the Chief Medical Director of the centre, Doctor Victor Osiatuma, along with his team for the medical innovations, infrastructural projects, and efficient operational system at the centre, Doctor Alile-Idele called for more funding by the Federal Government to complete several ongoing projects in the next two years.

She said, “We must understand that the renewed hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu cuts across healthcare as well, and like the saying goes, health is wealth.

‘’I have just been on a tour round some facilities, interacting with some of the staff on ground, looking at the patients care, and I really want to personally applaud the management staff of this centre, doctors, the nurses, up to the junior staff in this place.

“They provide top notch healthcare here. This afternoon, I just visited the neonatal and maternity ward: fantastic. They have the equipment, they have the manpower. My vision and my dream for this centre is to be at the top front of all the medical centres in this country.”

Niger Delta

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

Published

4 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

4 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

4 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.