Niger Delta

Ayade’s Wife Moves To Give Respite To Orphans, Others

Published

5 years ago

July 21, 2021

Wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr Linda Ayade, has expressed her readiness to collaborate with the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research (CCCRN), so as to improve the lives of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and their Care Givers in the State.
Dr Ayade stated this in her Office in Calabar, when a team from the CCCRN paid her a courtesy visit.
The Governor’s wife expressed appreciation to the group for the good works they have been doing in the State since the commencement of their programme, adding that she is excited to hear that they have successfully completed the first phase of their work plan.
Ayade pointed out that her Non-Governmental Organisation Mediatrix Development Foundation has over the years been anchoring closely to what the group is doing, addressing the needs of children, especially the vulnerable ones, amongst other things and pledged her total commitment to work in partnership with the group through her office and her NGO.
She also assured them of her presence during the launch of the second phase of cash transfer to 250 beneficiaries in the State scheduled for the 15th of July, 2021.
Briefing the Governor’s wife on the purpose of their visit, the Senior Specialist, Community System Strengthening, Mr Chris Agada, stated that one of their mandate is to strengthen government systems to be able to provide care and support to orphans and vulnerable children, emphasising that they have a current event holding every Thursday and want to use the opportunity to launch their 2nd phase of the cash transfer to 250 beneficiaries in the State.
Agada disclosed that they had equally supported 590 vulnerable children including their households with cash transfer of N40, 000 per household during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that they were unable to carry her office along in the first phase due to the pandemic and requested for her guidance and presence during the launch of the second phase.
Also speaking, the State Programme Manager, CCCRN, Dr Grace Essien, who led the team, stated that CCCRN was an indigenous Non-Governmental Organisation, whose presence has been in Nigeria since 2010.
According to her, they came into the State in December 2019, when they won the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) project to come and carry out the OVC programme in the State, while they started fully in January, 2020, working in Calabar South, Calabar Municipality, Odukpani, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Ikom, Ogoja, Yala and Obudu Local Government Areas, respectively.
She maintained that since they were working with OVC, they had extended to areas where USAID partners were working and had therefore extended their area of coverage to include Boki, Bakassi, Biase, Abi, Yakurr and Obubra LGAs, adding that their partners have started working in Obanliku and Etung L.G.As and that in their next plan, they will cover all the 18 LGAs.
Present during the courtesy visit were; the Special Adviser to the Governor’s wife on Administration, Mrs Philo Inyang, the Special Adviser to the wife of the Governor on Events, Hon. Torita Odey, amongst other staff of her Office.

By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar

Niger Delta

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

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.