Niger Delta

Bayelsa Residents Draw Attention To Coastal Communities

Published

9 years ago

March 31, 2017

Some residents of Bayelsa have appealed to government at all levels to extend socio-economic developmental to the water transportation sector as a critical aspect of national growth, especially for coastal communities.
The residents made the appeal in separate interviews newsmen in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
According to the residents, the development of water transportation, especially within the coastal states can sustain socio-economic activities and job creation for residents and the country at large.
The Tide’s source correspondent, who visited some communities in Bayelsa observed that water remained a major means of transporting human, goods and services in the state.
Bayelsa is a predominantly riverine state as a large percentage of settlements can only be accessed by river.
Out of the eight local government areas of the state, only four including Yenagoa, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and some communities in Sagbama can be accessed by road.
Our correspondent visited communities like Ukubie, Okpotuwari, Ondewari, Oweikorohga and Otuanin Southern-Ijaw local government areas for their opinions on water transportation.
Other communities where residents expressed their views on water transportation were Ofoni, Ayamasa and Toruebini in Sagbama area of Bayelsa.
Mr Elijah Efamughe, a Chief in Ukubie community, Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area, said that the challenges posed by water transportation were worrisome.
Efamughe stressed the importance of water transportation to the development of waterlogged communities, saying their lives would be made easier and better.
He said that the ancient Ukubie community, one of the major oil producing communities in Bayelsa, had been suffering from neglect in terms of infrastructure including access roads, portable water and functional hospital.
Efamughe said that the transportation of goods and services were done on weekly basis through the popular big boat called “the house boat”.
According to Efamughe, house boats are few in the area leading to situations where residents only travel when there are in serious need to do so.
“My people also need access roads and bridges like those in Lagos and other coastal states; we hardly travel to the city due to lack of transport and you know water transport is very costly.
“Sometimes, our farm produce get spoilt because of lack of means to transport them.
“We want roads and bridges to our communities. When there is road, the standard and cost of living will be better. When there is road, everything around us will begin to breathe fresh air.
“We want the three tiers of government to come to our aid to develop water transport and construct roads not only to Ukubie but to other coastal communities.”
Efamughe said that residents pay N3, 500 for water transport from Ukubie to the Yenagoa by a speed boat, a journey of less than 30 minutes by road.
“Just imagine how much it will cost to transport goods in the community. It has even increased the cost of a bag of sachet water to N200.
“Half rubber of garri is sold for N500, while the big rubber is sells between N1, 500 and N1, 800 in Bayelsa,” Efamughe said.

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.