Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has congratulated Muslims in the state and across Nigeria on the occasion of this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration, which marks the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

Governor Oborevwori in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, called on Muslims to seize the opportunity of the celebration to reflect deeply on the exemplary life and teachings of the Prophet, which emphasize peace, love, tolerance, humility, and selfless service to humanity.

He noted that at a time when the nation is striving for greater unity and social cohesion, it has become imperative for Nigerians, regardless of faith, to imbibe these values for the progress and stability of the country.

Oborevwori commended the Muslim community in Delta for their steadfast contributions to the growth, peace, and unity of the state.

He assured that his administration would continue to uphold policies that promote religious harmony, inclusiveness, and mutual respect among all faiths.

“As we celebrate Eid-ul-Mawlid, let us be reminded that our strength as a people lies in our diversity and our shared commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous Delta and Nigeria”, the Governor stated.

He wished the Muslim faithful a joyful and hitch-free celebration.

By: Albert Ograka, Asaba

Niger Delta ex-agitator, Mr. Endurance Amagbein, popularly referred to as “General Amagbein”, has tasked the leadership of the umbrella Ijaw Youth body, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), on politicization of the travails of the Niger Delta region over issues of pipeline surveillance contract renewal.

He expressed his worries over the recent actions of the IYC leadership who took to the streets of Abuja, protesting, while also demanding the sack of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Bayo Ojulari.

The Ex-Agitator in statement described the appointment of the NNPC Ltd. boss as a ”carefully chosen” one by President Bola Tinubu, saying the President’s reason for Ojulari’s appointment was to take the nation’s oil and gas industry to the next level.

The statement read in part: “The IYC claimed that the protest was due to non-performance, financial mismanagement, systemic neglect and administrative failure.

“They also alleged that part of the reasons for their ill-advised protest was due to the exclusion of Niger Deltans from key oil and gas decision-making processes despite years of promises from successive administrations, and failure to deliver visible benefits to the Niger Delta despite the region being the mainstay of Nigeria’s oil wealth. But all these are lies”.

General Amagbein, who described himself as a firm supporter of the Tinubu-led government, alleged that the IYC was derailing from its core mandate and delving into partisan politics under the guise oil surveillance contract protest, noting that the group’s call for Bayo’s sack was as a result of his refusal to compromise policy standards of NNPC Ltd. in its operations.

“Though I align myself with the IYC’s call for reforms in the NNPC, especially in the area of decentralization of surveillance contracts amongst stakeholders in the various Niger Delta states and indigenous territories, I also want to condemn in total the call for the outright sack of Mr. Ojulari. The call for his sack is premature and politically motivated.

“The administration of President Tinubu has been fair to the people of the Niger Delta, and has appointed key sons of the region into juicy national offices.

“Even if anyone will pretend to be ignorant of the love of the President towards the Ijaw people, they cannot erase the fact that the sons of Niger Delta occupy top key sectors in the institutions established for the development and peace of the Niger Delta region.

“The likes of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, MD/CEO of NDDC, and Chief Dennis Otuaru, the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), are all Ijaw people, but sadly, nobody remembers this to thank Mr. President.

“It is so said that oil politics in the Niger Delta has infiltrated into the affairs of the IYC and its leaders have allowed surveillance contractors to direct policy statements of the youth body.

“The IYC triumphs in its core values on the straddle of the Niger Delta development agenda, as the founding fathers laid out their ideas on non-partisan services to the region through people-oriented programmes.

“In the past, the tradition of the IYC is to precede every of its actions that are considered sensitive with significant national importance with wide consultation of major stakeholders in the region, but this cherished tradition was ignored in their call for the sack of Mr. Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Offcer of NNPC Ltd.

“It is very obvious that the IYC has derailed into partisan politics, thereby aligning their activities with surveillance contractors who have lost their goodwill over their surveillance activities in the last few years. It is never too late to go back to their roots anchored on the collective interest of the people.

“The founding fathers of the IYC knew the priceless contributions of stakeholders to the struggle, and that was why they always consulted with them before making any moves, but today, the efforts of the stakeholders who are the foundations of the Ijaw struggle are being overlooked, and that is why they have gone astray.

“When Chris Ekiyor was the President of the IYC, he succeeded because he never neglected the stakeholders, and he was always consulting them before doing anything, and his administration recorded a huge success.

“It is the sacrifices of the stakeholders that have brought about peace in the Niger Delta, and that is why the IYC now has a voice, and these sacrifices should not be overlooked.

“Anything that has to do with the Niger Delta requires serious and careful thoughts in other to not spark out flames, because as stakeholders, we know the sacrifices we are paying to maintain the peace and security of the region.

“Like the last presidential elections, it was the efforts of myself and Alhaji Asari Dokubo that brought about peaceful elections in the Niger Delta, and this we did by galvanizing our supporters and engaging with other stakeholders of the region to ensure a smooth process.

“And that is what I want the IYC to do so as to know the mind of stakeholders before doing anything. By doing this they can have the full support of the people”, he stated.

He continued that “President Tinubu made wide consultations and made an informed decision in the appointment of Mr. Bayo Ojulari, and rather than causing distractions, I, General Endurance Amagbein, encourage stakeholders to support President Tinubu’s development plans already laid out in progress for the Niger Delta region.

“However, I want to advice the IYC to shun partisan politics, especially oil politics in the Niger Delta, and they should not be seen to be carrying out the agenda of certain surveillance contractors in the region.”

By; Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has urged the Federal Government to revive the Warri,  Koko, Sapele, and Burutu ports and reiterated his administration’s commitment to collaborate with the Government at the centre in that regard.

The Governor, who spoke when he received on a courtesy visit, the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) led by its Chairman, Prince Senator Adedayo Adeleye, said the revival of the seaports will unlock the full economic potentials of Delta as Nigeria’s maritime hub.

He stated that the revitalization of the ports would create jobs, attract investments, and boost national revenue, saying: “Delta State is strategically blessed with four ports. If these ports are revived, they will create massive employment, stimulate trade, and strengthen the economy of Delta and Nigeria. It is often more impactful to modernize existing ports than to build new ones”.

He commended the NPA for its modernization efforts but appealed for urgent dredging of the Warri Channel and the rehabilitation of Warri and Koko port facilities, stressing that such interventions needed to be treated as national priorities.

The Governor disclosed that Delta was working closely with the Federal Government to tackle critical infrastructural challenges, saying; “these collaborations are already yielding results. The Federal Government has awarded the Summit Junction–Bridge head section of the Benin-Asaba Highway to Heartland Construction Company, while the State Government has awarded a section of the Sapele–Warri Road project to CCECC at a cost of N35 billion.

“This is a clear demonstration of the positive relationship between the state and the centre.”

Oborevwori assured potential investors of improved security in the state, noting that oil installations were no longer under frequent attacks and that the environment was now peaceful for business.

He added that Delta had enacted a law against collection of illegal levies and harassment of companies to protect investments.

He, however, urged companies operating in the state to honour their Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with host communities by engaging local people, which strategy, he said, was key to sustaining harmony.

Highlighting ongoing infrastructure projects, the Governor revealed that Julius Berger had returned to the state for the first time in years, handling major flyover projects  at PTI Junction, Enerhen Junction, and DSC Roundabout, among others.

“Delta State is open for business, ready for partnership, and determined to consolidate its position as Nigeria’s leading maritime and economic hub”, Oborevwori stated.

Earlier, Senator Adeleye pledged the Board’s readiness to work closely with the Delta State Government to revive the ports in the state and enhance their contribution to Nigeria’s maritime economy.

He said Delta ports — Warri, Koko, Sapele, and Burutu – were strategic gateways that, if fully optimized, would boost trade, create jobs, and drive economic growth.

He noted that the NPA Board, inaugurated in June by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, embarked on a nationwide tour of ports to assess challenges firsthand before implementing solutions.

The NPA boss commended the Delta State Government for supporting security around the ports, stressing that safety remained crucial to sustaining operations.

He also highlighted issues of underutilization, collapsed quays, shallow drafts, and the need for a deep seaport to attract global shipping traffic.

“Delta ports currently contribute about 10.7 percent of national trade volumes, which is impressive, but there is room for improvement. With stronger collaboration, we can restore the vibrancy of these ports and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime trade”, he said.

The NPA delegation also acknowledged the state government’s role in fostering cordial relations with host communities and implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives to sustain peace.

By: Albert Ograka, Asaba