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Diri Appoints New SSG, CoS, Retains CPS

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2 years ago

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Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has approved the appointment of the serving Executive Chairman of the Bayelsa State Board of Internal Revenue(BIRB), Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The state’s Chief Executive also has appointed his former Acting Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe as his new Chief of Staff (CoS) in his second tenure in office.
The Tide also learnt that the Governor has approved the retention of Mr Daniel Alabrah as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).
A statement from the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah noted that Mr. Irorodamie Komonibo has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief of Staff (DCoS), Government House.
Alabrah in his statement stated that the appointments take immediate effect.
The Tide learnt that until this new appointment, the new SSG, Ayawei, is a Professor of Analytical Chemistry, technocrat, public servant and university lecturer.
He has also held the position of the Executive Chairman of the State’s board of internal revenue since 2016.
A further profile of the new appointees made available to newsmen by Governor Diri’s CPS says that Prof. Ayawei is also a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The statement noted that the new SSG started his working career at the state’s Ministry of Environment before his appointment as member of the State Scholarship Board in 2001.
In 2002, he was appointed Chairman, Bassan-Koluama Rural Development Authority. While in 2003, he was elected to represent Southern Ijaw Constituency four in the state legislature, after which he became General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Bayelsa State Housing and Property Development Authority in 2012.
He has also been Commissioner for Housing and Rural Development in 2014.
Ayawei bagged a Bachelor of Education degree in Chemistry in 1995 at the then Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt (which was then an affiliate of the University of Ibadan) before obtaining a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry in 2008 at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and later a Doctor of Philosophy in Analytical/Environmental Chemistry at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma.
He was the first PhD graduate of the NDU in 2016.
He also took up appointment as lecturer in the university’s Department of Chemical Sciences in 2016 and is currently a Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, Bayelsa State Medical University (BMU), Yenagoa.
On the other hand, the new Chief of Staff(CoS) Government House, Dr. Pereotubo Akpe, who was the immediate past Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff is a 1991 graduate of the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt (now Rivers State University) where he obtained a B.Sc. in Technical Education, specialising in Electrical/Electronics.
He also holds a Master degree in Administration and Planning from the same university and a Ph.D. in same discipline from the University of Port Harcourt.
Akpe worked in both the Rivers and Bayelsa States Civil Service for over 20 years and retired as Assistant Director.
He also served as Head of Administration, Office of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State (2006–2007), Commissioner with the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Service Commission (2008–2011), a two-term member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and was Leader of the House between 2011 and 2019.
He equally held other offices as Commissioner and member of the State Executive Council in 2020, Deputy Chief of Staff (2020–2023) and Acting Chief of Staff (2023–February 14, 2024).
Dr Akpe whom many have described as an astute administrator is a fellow of several professional bodies, a 5th Degree Black Belter and Certified Kukiwon Coach in Taekwondo, and is currently the Pastor-in-Charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Bayelsa Province one, and a part-time Lecturer with the Redeemed Christian Bible College, University of Ede, Osun State.
Meanwhile, until his new appointment, the new Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr. Irorodamie Komonibo was the Principal Secretary to the Governor until February 14, 2024.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

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Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.
He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.
He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.
“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as  between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.
He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.
The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.
“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said
In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.
The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.
He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.
The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.
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Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.
She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.
“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.
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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers 

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.
The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.
AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.
“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.
“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.
According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.
Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.
“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.
He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.
“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.
Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.
CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.
The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.
Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.
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