Niger Delta

Diri Approves Workers’ Promotion, Sends Grazing Bill To Assembly

Published

5 years ago

February 26, 2021

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has approved the implementation of promotion for staff of local government councils, primary healthcare workers and primary school teachers in the state with effect from March 2021.
Governor Diri gave the approval on Tuesday following the submission of the report of the Committee on Implementation of Promotions and N30,000 Minimum Wage by Local Government Councils chaired by the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
The 31-member committee was set up on October 30, 2020 to among others look into issues bordering on the general welfare of local government staff, computing of their monthly wage bill based on promotions, increment and the new N30,000 minimum wage.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said in a statement that he also approved other recommendations of the panel, which include a comprehensive ward-based audit of the councils’ payroll and personnel as well as the number of schools and health centres in their domain.
Others are a proper audit of the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) and Education Trust Fund (ETF) deductions while the state government would support resource-disadvantaged councils that are unable to meet their staff salary obligations.
Governor Diri’s spokesman said to this end, the government would augment by almost N200million their Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) receipts and salaries shortfall.
On the N30,000 new minimum wage, the committee noted that given their current JAAC receipts, not more than two councils in the state can implement it. It was therefore agreed that the implementation would commence when their financial situation improves.
The committee had representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
Other members were the Government House Chief of Staff, Chief Benson Agadaga, Deputy Chief of Staff (Deputy Governor’s Office), Alex Dumbo, Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Stanley Braboke, his Local Government and Chieftaincy counterpart, Chief Thompson Amule, chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Chief Lambert Ototo as well as chairmen of the eight councils in the state among others.
In another development, the Bayelsa State Government has started making a law to regulate the breeding, rearing and marketing of live stocks in the state.
Leading a debate on a bill christened, ‘Bayelsa State Livestocks, Breeding, Rearing And Marketing Bill 2021 at Wednesday plenary in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Leader of the House and member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency Two, Hon. Monday Obolo said the bill was necessitated by the need to forestall imminent crises arising from livestock concerns in the state.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

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

Published

12 hours 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

12 hours 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

12 hours 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.