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Niger Delta

SPDC Unveils Academy For N’ Delta Youths

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2 years ago

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The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), operator of the SPDC joint venture, has opened an animation academy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for practical training of youths in 3D animation, look development and visual effects.
“The academy is primed to support in closing identified gaps in knowledge and skills that will enable Niger Delta youths to participate fully in the new opportunities that are now available in digital technology.” SPDC’s Director and Country Head, Corporate Relations, Igo Weli, said at the inauguration of the academy last week.
Represented by SPDC’s Corporate Relations Manager for Project and Opportunities, Hope Nuka, Igo said, “At Shell, we believe digitalisation will enable billions in incremental value creation over the coming years for which reason we are happy to partner with others to offer the benefit of evolving fields in technology to youths in the Niger Delta,”
The project, valued at around N100 million, was executed in partnership with a non-governmental organisation, Foundation for Multimedia Creativity and Innovation (FMCI). According to Igo, entrepreneurial skills development would be a core part of the curriculum of the academy, adding that for sustainability, the project incorporated a multimedia creative hub to meet corporate and individual needs in digital technology services.
Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investment Services (NAPIMS), the investment arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Bala Wunti, described the 21st century as the era of digital growth, with various strides being made globally in the Information and Technology space.
Wunti, who was represented by the Deputy Manager External Affairs, Mrs Bunmi Lawson, said that the academy would provide viable self-employment opportunities for youths in River State and its environs, adding that the “opportunities would further create a pool of professionals in the new growth sector of multimedia services.
FMCI Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nimi Amachree, said admission into FMCI is open to all youths in the Niger Delta and called on other corporates in the region to emulate the SPDC joint venture initiative by supporting the vision to equip youths with multimedia skills relevant to several industries including 3D manufacturing. He said FCMI was working to have its graduates absorbed by a partner production company, Light Era Animation and VFX Studios.

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Niger Delta

Eno Approves N2bn For Gratuity Payment 

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7 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has approved the sum of N2 billion for the payment of gratuities for April, 2024.
Eno announced the approval while addressing workers at the 2024 May Day celebration in Uyo.
He said the State Government had so far disbursed about N16.1 billion for the payment of gratuities to retired civil servants in the state.
”We disburse money every month for the payment of gratuities to our retirees. I have approved another N2 billion for gratuity payment for April”, he said.
The Governor promised to implement the national minimum wage to workers in the state, once approved by the Federal Government.
”We are waiting for the process to be concluded and approved. We shall pay the new minimum wage to our workers”, he said.
According to him, Akwa Ibom State Government would recruit more healthcare workers to ensure effective service delivery in the health sector.
Eno pledged his administration’s commitment to promote the welfare of workers.
”I urge workers in the state to key into our government’s development agenda in the interest of our people”,  he said.
Earlier, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny James, urged the Governor to implement the national minimum wage in the state.
He urged governments at all levels to take steps towards cushioning the effect of the current economic hardship on the people.
The NLC Chairman urged Eno to provide vehicles for civil servants to lighten the burden of transportation on them.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Dominic Abang, urged the Governor to tackle fraud in pension administration in the state.
Abang also called for the expansion of the state’s social register to accommodate more persons and ensure wider reach during the distribution of free food items.
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Niger Delta

Monarch Fingers Political Class On Community’s Socio-economic Woes

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7 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Paramount Ruler of Owei-wari Community of Biseni Clan in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRH Elijah Opia Churchman, has alleged that some members of the political class in the clan were against the socio-economic prosperity and development of his community.
The royal father stated this recently at the State Secretariat complex, Yenagoa, the state capital, during an interview with Journalists shortly after his exit from the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, where he said he was currently pursuing a case the community instituted against some alleged anti-development agents.
He said while the Owei-wari Community used to be a compound in one of the communities of the kingdom, some years ago as landlords and host of an oil firm operating in the area, the compound having been overwhelmed by the constant outcry of marginalization by its people, moved for recognition as an autonomous community in the clan.
The monarch, who also bared his mind on the intentions of a group called “the Progressive Minded forum of Biseni clan”, said the group has been a strong advocate of the creation of more clans for the people of Biseni in which his community would also be a clan.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the continued pursuit of peace, progress and development of his community and the entire clan, noting, however, that for years now some members of the political class in the area have conspicuously been working against the realization of the dreams and yearnings of the Owei-wari Community.
“We’re working assiduously to see that at least six clans are created in the current Biseni clan so that Owei-wari Community with over 13 settlements becomes one of them, but some politicians and a few of their followers in the clan are working against us for no obvious reasons.
“We’ve advised the King of Biseni Clan that his scope of domain should extend to all Biseni communities and lands from the Orashi River, River Nun, through River Niger so that he can oversee the entire six clans that we plan to create in the kingdom.
“In our thinking as it were, now that we’ve Okordia/Biseni/Zarama in Yenagoa Local Government Area for the state House of Assembly constituency, when more clans are created in Biseni in which communities like Egbebiri, Tein, Toboru, Akpede and Owei-wari would become clans, then as a kingdom, whenever it’s our turn to produce the Assembly member we can then rotate it amongst the clans in Biseni Kingdom and not as it were presently”, the royal father said.
He continued that, “We think that it’s going to be of political, social and economic advantage to us as a clan, but some members of the political class were bent on undoing Owei-wari Community and the clan in general.
“As a community, recently we’ve written to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to develop all the satellite villages and fishing camps to modern cities in Owei-wari and make them economically viable.
“So, by our expectations, some are to have the status of academic cities, industrial cities, etc.”.
Ariwera  Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Niger Delta

N40,000 Minimum Wage Disappoints C’River Workers

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7 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Some workers in Cross River State have expressed disappointment at Governor Bassey Otu’s announcement pegging the new minimum wage for workers in the state at N40,000.
The workers shared their displeasure in separate interviews with The Tide’s source in Calabar.
It will be recalled that Otu, while addressing workers on Wednesday, said that the State Government would pay N40,000 as the new minimum wage to its workers.
The Governor had listed lean allocation from the centre and unfavourable Gross Domestic Product to debt servicing ratio as some of the reasons for the decision.
Eno said the State Government would rely on the realities of the time in making decisions towards the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Speaking to the source, Mr Emmanuel Ekanem, a civil servant in the state, described the N40,000 announced by the Governor as “far below” the expectations of workers.
He said such pronouncement did not showcase the Governor as a leader who understood the yearnings of his people.
”At a time when a bag of rice is sold between N70,000 and N80,000, declaring N40,000 as minimum wage is terribly poor and unacceptable”, he said.
Mrs Isu Ewe, a judiciary staff, said she was disappointed at the pronouncement, and urged the Governor to take another look at the decision.
”I expected to hear at least N60,000 as the new minimum wage for the workers in the state. The hardship is too much.
”What can N40,000 buy? Workers have school fees to pay, parents to take care of and rent to pay.
”The Governor should really look at the situation of things in the country and do something about the take-home of workers”, she said.
Another civil servant, Mr Edem Enoh, said  workers did not expect such pronouncement from the Governor, describing it as hasty.
He urged the State Government to avoid over-dependence on federal allocation, look inwards and devise other sources of income.
”The welfare of the people should be top on the government’s priority list. This pronouncement is hasty and unacceptable”, he said.
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