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NGO Urges Journalists To Amplify Success Stories In N’Delta

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A non-governmental organisation known as Search for Common Ground has appealed to media practitioners to amplify success stories in the Niger Delta to propel development in the region.
This is as the organisation has also urged Nigerian journalists to avoid spreading fake information that can put the country in danger.
The Head of Office/Programme Implementation of the organisation in the Niger Delta, Yacinthe Agbagadjan, gave the charge on the sidelines of a five-day training programme for journalists in Warri, Delta State, last Monday.
Tagged ‘Common Ground Journalism Training (CGJT)’, the training programme was anchored on community-based approach to curb criminality in the Niger Delta region through responsive reportage.
It was organised by the Community Centred Approach To Transforming Criminality And Violence In Niger Delta, in collaboration with its implementing partners, Foundation Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN) and Academic Associates Peace Works, and funded by the European Union.
Agbagadjan said the organisation’s mission was to ensure that the right information are sent out to the public by media practitioners.
He said, “We want visibility and the right information sent out to the public.
“Peace journalism is reporting what is responsive. All of you are our ambassadors, so avoid any kind of mistake or error in your reportage that would affect the image and reputation of Search for Common Ground. We expect that you communicate more and give visibility on everything that Search for Common Ground is doing in the Niger Delta.
“For this project, we want to work closely with you to increase visibility and the community communication around the project, and as such, expect all the actors, including donors, humanitarian and development partners, to know more about what we are achieving in Niger Delta, the success we are recording and to also learn more about the realities and the context of Niger Delta. It is only then that they can come to form or support or initiate a new project in Niger Delta as well as address all other issues.”
Agbadadjan emphasised that peace building is neither a one-day action nor one-person action, but requires everyone’s positive approach to report responsively.
“We need everybody’s hand to be on deck in peace building, community and criminality prevention.
“Our expectation is to have your full attention, presence, contribution, so that by the end of this training, you should have a better understanding of the activities of Search for Common Ground in the Niger Delta”, he said.
Speaking earlier during the workshop, the Mass Media And Information Management Coordinator of the organisation, Mr Sunny Dada, stated that the training programme was meant to adopt correct community approach of interventionist from bottom-to-top instead of top-to-bottom approach to enable information trickle down to the generality of the people at the grass roots.
Dada noted that a lot of issues such as violence, criminality, including oil bunkering, cultism, piracy, intercommunal conflicts and clashes, among others, were under reported.
He also noted that women and youths in the Niger Delta were not being carried along in peace and development process, adding that despite their systematic marginalization, many women and youths have continued to mobilise for peace and development.
“Search for Common Ground is the major partner and has the objectives to empower diverse community actors to address social exclusion, lack of economic opportunity, and environmental degradation.
“Young women and men, especially at-risk and marginalised youths, will be empowered to make their voices heard in their communities and be resilient to call for violence and criminality”, he said.
On his part, the National Media Specialist for Search For Common Ground, Mr Temisan Etietsola, while discussing on ‘My Identity: Using the Identity Flower’, explained the multiple facets of identity, adding that humans’ identities are complex, but in spite of these complexities, humans share some common analogies.
He said, “Adversarial and collaborative humans naturally are competitive, but we should also try to see that a win-win approach to situation is always good. I’m a winner or loser situation always ends up with one side feeling offended or not satisfied, so ensure you always work towards building trust so that you are able to collaborate with each other better.”
Etietsola advised that no one should see him or herself as an adversary, but should see themselves as allies in building peace to have a conflict-free society.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

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Niger Delta

Diri Approves Land For FG’s Housing Project

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Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said affordable housing for people of the state will be accorded top priority in his second term.
He disclosed this recently when the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, and the management team paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor, who expressed his administration’s commitment to collaborate with the Federal Government to attract more development in the housing sector, approved the provision of land for the FHA to actualise President Bola Tinubu’s housing vision for people of the state.
“In our first term, we focused more on infrastructure development to open up the state. We saw road construction as our number one priority.
“But, this time around, we are prioritising housing for our people. Our focal person in the sector will liaise with you to ensure that President Bola Tinubu’s dream of providing housing for Nigerians is realised.
“We will acquire land and make it available to the FHA free of charge. We will collaborate with you so that we can build a new Bayelsa”, he said.
While commending Ojo and his team for consulting with State Governments on the Federal Government housing project, the Governor urged other federal appointees to also take into consideration the peculiarities of states and regions in the country in fashioning national policies.
“I commend you for coming to consult with us. Most officers of government stay back in Abuja and take decisions, some of which are inimical to the states. This should be the standard of every official”, Diri added.
The state’s Chief Executive stressed the need to map out high and low density areas in the construction of federal housing estates just as he thanked President Tinubu for the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
He, however, advised the Federal Government to fast-track the project by also undertaking it from the Calabar end.
In his remarks, the FHA Managing Director, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, said the visit was to solicit partnership with the state government in delivering the President’s mandate for the housing sector.
Ojo, who noted that affordable and accessible housing was essential to the people, expressed the president’s desire to provide housing for all Nigerians, regardless of political party affiliation.
While soliciting for 100 hectares of land for the project, the FHA CEO applauded the Bayelsa Governor for his developmental strides, particularly in the construction of road projects across the state.
He said as one who is familiar with the state, its terrain and developmental challenges, he is able to appreciate what Governor Diri had done since he assumed office.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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Niger Delta

Two Men Get Nine Years Jail Term For Human Trafficking, Sexual Abuse

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A Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday sentenced two men, Udobong Udofia and Nsidong Eduogo, to nine years imprisonment each, for human trafficking and sexual harassment.
Udofia and Eduogo were prosecuted by the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),
They were tried on a two-count charge of trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation through means of threat and abuse of position of vulnerability.
The convicts, prosecuted in charge No: FHC/UY/06/2024, were found guilty of sexually assaulting an orphan.
Delivering his judgment, Justice M. A. Onyetenu stated that the convicts deserved stiffer punishment than contemplated by the law, considering the crimes they committed.
He sentenced them to two years imprisonment for count one and a fine of N250,000.
“For count two, they are hereby sentenced to seven years in prison with a fine of N1 million”, he said.
Onyetenu further awarded the sum of N10 million as compensation to the victim.
The judge ordered that the convicts should remain in custody until the compensation was paid to the victim.
Speaking to The Tide’s source, Mr Emmanuel Awhen, the Zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Uyo, said Udofia and Eduogo were arrested on February 7.
He said their offences contravened Section 13(2)b and 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

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Niger Delta

Okomu Oil Threatens Shutdown Over Militants’ Invasions

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Management of Okomu Oil Palm Plc has said its multi billion naira investment in Edo State is being threatened by incessant militants’ disruptions of its operations and attacks on its personnel.
The Managing Director of the company, Dr. Graham Hefer, expressed this possibility in an interview with The Tide’s source on Wednesday in Okomu, in Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state.
Hefer said the latest of such attacks was the Monday early morning attack and assassination in cold blood of three of the company’s workers inside the plantation.
“The female worker, who was held hostage but managed to escape unhurt said the six armed gunmen came in through the Okomu Riverside and also escaped through the same route in their motorboat.
“This is one of the two incidences within a space of one week. Last week, armed gunmen ambushed the company’s patrol vehicle which they riddled with bullets”, he said.
Hefer, who decried the worrisome worsening security situation within and outside the plantation, said if the situation continued unabated, the company’s multi- billion naira investment might shut its operations.
“Government has to come and take absolute control of the area overtaken by squatters who now terrorise the locality as the owner of the land.
“Government that is supposed to be their custodian and protect the tenants like us, absolutely has no control whatsoever. We are left to our faith.
“There are police personnel or soldiers and no police post at all.
“Yet, government needs to provide security around the plantation and the people around the communities as law abiding citizens.
“We have repeatedly said government should put a military base in the plantation.
“It’s absurd that we pay over N12 billion in taxes to government annually and still are left to fend and seek security for equipment and personnel by ourselves.
“”We have to fund our own security and pay more charges in taxes without commensurate service delivery. What kind of investment friendly environment are you providing?” he queried.
The company’s MD, who said both the 4 Brigade and the police authority had been briefed of both incidences, however, lamented that “since the incident the police are yet to bring reinforcement to the area to restore confidence in the workers”.
Speaking further, Hefer stated that the attacks had political, ethnic and ego for resource control undertone.
He, however, urged the State Government to urgently address the security situation within the locality and the state in general to restore investors’ confidence.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Funsho Adegboye, however, said more men had been deployed by the state command to the area to forestall a repeat of the attack, saying it was shocking that the gunmen could carry out such attack.
He said the attackers were from a neighbouring state, noting that efforts were on to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.
He also said the police were working with the management of Okomu to perfect ways of making the environment safer for its staff at all times.
The CP said, “Preliminary findings showed that the gunmen came from the creek in a neighbouring state, which I would not like to mention. The attack is shocking.
“However, more men have been deployed to the area to forestall a repeat, while the police in conjunction with Okomu is working to ensure that the culprits are arrested.
“We will not allow such an occurrence to happen in the state again”.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the 4 Brigade, Capt. Chinonso Oteh, who confirmed knowledge of the incidences, said, “the Brigade has concluded plans on how to work with Okomu management on safety and security of the area and its operations.
“The Brigade commander has visited Okomu management since assumption of office few times.
“He has sent out strong warnings to those criminals to either stay clear of the locality or be ready to face the wrath of the law since this dastardly act.

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