Niger Delta

GEEP: Delta Warns Supervisors Against Sharp Practices

Published

3 years ago

January 13, 2023

Delta State Government has warned Lead Agents and Sub-Agents (supervisors) of the Government Enterprises Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and other stakeholders of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) to shun sharp practices.
GEEP is part of the Federal Government’s NSIP designed to help alleviate poverty by providing access to funds for Nigerian entrepreneurs.
The Commissioner for Humanitarian and Community Support Services, Dr. Darlington Ijeh, issued the warning recently in Asaba.
Ijeh spoke during a meeting between GEEP and agents in the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.
He said that his attention was drawn to some identified lapses presently hampering the smooth operations of NSIP, mainly the Farmer Moni, Trader Moni and Market Moni.
“I know you all have been very effective in your various wards and local government areas.
“But my attention was drawn in December to some lapses that need to be covered,” he said.
He, therefore, warned against any form of irregularities that fall short of the stipulated standard of the implementation process.
According to him, anyone caught cutting corners in the name of the directorate or the programme would be brought to book.
“We must work as a family, otherwise, we will not succeed”, the commissioner said.
He said that any lead agent that exempted themselves from the meeting without proper approval from his office would be severely sanctioned.
Ijeh, therefore, directed all lead agents to submit a written document on the challenges they were facing in the discharge of their duties.
He promised to look into issues concerning their emoluments with a view to increasing their quarterly earnings.
“You heard what I did for the cooks in the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
“You know what their stipends used to be and what makes you think I cannot do the same for you?
“I can replicate it but on one condition that we must work as a family.
“So, I beg everyone to please work as one family,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary in the programme, Dr Ejiro Ogheneaga, advised the lead agents and sub-agents to avoid falsehood and unauthenticated claims, when writing their mandatory reports.
Ogheneaga said that the reports should be brief and straight to the point.
“The report you are writing should be authenticated because if you submit anything that you are not sure about, the repercussion would be very grave,” he said.
He urged them to always ask questions in whatever area they considered ambiguous.

Niger Delta

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

Published

19 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

19 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

19 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.