Niger Delta
Bayelsa Honours Jonathan, Diri, Others … Empowers 2850 Skill Graduands
The Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund (ETDF) has awarded former President Goodluck Jonathan and the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, as honorary Ambassadors of Education in the State.
Also awarded were former Governor of the State, and now Senator representing the State’s Western Senatorial district, Seriake Dickson, former Senator Emmanuel Paulker, and the member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Dr. Fred Agbedi.
The awardees also included a former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, Maj. Gen. Allison Isaiah Allison, Arc. Reuben Okoya, and a retired Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Diseye Nsirim.
The Tide reports that the event was held as part of activities marking the continuation of the fifth year in office anniversary celebration of the Governor Diri-led “Assured Prosperity” administration.
In her opening speech, the Executive Secretary, EDTF, Dr. Alice Atuwo, said the Fund was established in 2017 and took over the sponsorship of students in five model secondary schools, noting that presently the model schools have increased to 11.
She thanked the State Governor and all those who have made impact and contributed to adequate deployment of the Fund for their support and commitment.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Jonathan, represented by a former Commissioner for Education in the State, Mr. Tobias James, described the award as recognition of contributions to the growth and development of education in the state, pledging to continue the advocacy for accessible and inclusive education for all.
In his remarks, the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, while paying tribute to his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, for establishing the EDTF, said his administration continued with some of the policies of his predecessor to enhance development of the state.
He noted that policy, such as the EDTF, was visionary and deserved to be retained and expanded in the overall interest of the state, promising to continue investing in human capacity building to develop a viable private sector in the state that is independent of government.
Tagged “Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Interventions/Graduation Ceremony of the Diri Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme”, the programme held at the Dr. Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre in Yenagoa, the State capital.
Meanwhile, 2,850 graduands of the third batch of the Diri skills acquisition programme have been presented with starter packs and other tools by the State Government.
The Tide learnt that the beneficiaries were trained for five months in paint making, solar installation and electrical works, shoe making, soap making, cosmetology, fashion and design, catering, pastries and others.
“I consider this empowerment scheme as one aspect of this administration that we will continue to do so that our people will not be government-dependent. We’ll have a state that the private sector can develop and you are those that will develop the private sector”, the Governor said.
“I implore you, the graduands of this skill acquisition training, not to sell your starter packs, but rather put into practice the skills acquired to improve your lives and actualise government’s vision of building a sustainable future for you.
“You’re the ones carrying our dreams. So do not disappoint us. Out of 9,000 applicants, you succeeded. You’re building yourselves and equally building Bayelsa”, Diri added.
Directing the Technical Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development to conduct key performance index (KPI) on beneficiaries of the scheme, Diri appreciated the EDTF Executive Secretary, Dr. Alice Atuwo, members of the board, and those that have supported the fund for the feat achieved.
He stated that his administration has expanded the fund beyond the full scholarship for students in the model schools to now accommodate the technical colleges.
He also directed the Commissioner for Education to ensure that the technical colleges in Southern-Ijaw and Nembe Local Government Areas were built and completed this year.
In the same vein, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development and Coordinator of the Diri Skills Acquisition Training Programme, Mrs. Charity Ken-Godwins, stated that since 2021, the Diri administration had been transforming the lives of the youths through various empowerment programmes.
“In 2021, 814 students graduated from the skills acquisition programme. In 2022, another 815 benefitted and today we are celebrating the graduation of 2,850 trainees who acquired skills in leather works, fashion design, cosmetology and other areas.These skills will instill in them a sense of self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
“In 2023, the Governor directed that an additional 800 Bayelsans be trained but over 9,000 persons applied and that 3,500 were eventually selected and trained”, She said.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has ordered an immediate review of environmental sanitation operations in Calabar metropolis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Linus Obogo, on Friday, the Governor said the sanitary situation of the city had become a cause for concern.
He said the review became necessary because Calabar should continue to maintain its status as the cleanest city in the country.
“The city is now littered with wastes, the cleanliness status of Calabar is almost gone, we cannot just fold our arms and watch,” he said.
The Governor continued that every resident of the city had roles to play towards restoring the sanitary status of the city.
“Every resident should live up to their responsibilities. Our reputation in sanitation was not earned overnight, we worked for it.
“It is the product of discipline, policy consistency, and civic responsibility. We cannot allow negligence to take away this reputation,” he said.
He further directed that henceforth, sanitation exercise should be supervised by the office of his Special Adviser on General Duties.
“This intervention is intended to ensure stricter coordination among contractors and government agencies that are responsible for waste management,
“Environmental sanitation is not a peripheral concern of government. It is central to public health, urban dignity, and the overall quality of life of the citizens”, he said.
Otu expressed displeasure at lapses arising from the attitude of some refuse contractors in the state.
He said breakdown of mechanical tools could not be a reasonable excuse for non-evacuation of refuse.
“Operational setbacks should never translate into visible environmental neglect. Preparedness, contingency planning and prompt response are the hallmarks of responsible service providers.” he said.
A Bayelsa-based lawyer, and candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary in the suspended National Executive Council (NEC) elections of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Barr. Abraham Marshall, has said the court order, which restrained the conduct of the March 7th, 2026 polls, was a setback to stakeholders of the INC.
He expressed his worries about the plights of delegates who travelled from various parts of Ijaw land to come for the elections in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, only to be disappointed by the court order.
While thanking other candidates for maintaining orderliness and brotherliness all through the campaign processes, Marshall said the court injunction has devasted candidates vying for various positions.
He described the cost of what has already been spent on campaigns and sundry arrangements for the elections as huge.
Marshall noted that already he was a leading candidate for the position of National Assistant Secretary as he was optimistic of victory.
“First of all I’ve great confidence in the ability of the Electoral Committee headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, HRM, Justice F.F Tabai, which was eager to conduct a seamless election.
“Some of us have campaigned through the three zones and clans of the INC. Some of us went to the Western Zone, Eastern and Central Zones to meet delegates.
“That is how it happenes atimes when there are contest, some persons who are aggrieved, rather than take laws into their hands, go to court to seek judicial redress. So, I want to commend all candidates for maintaining decorum throughout the entire process.
“I like to also call on stakeholders to quickly seek for ways through internal mechanisms of the INC to end this problem so that the elections can be conducted because as candidates we’ve incured lots of expenses leading to the process”, he stated.
Meanwhile, in a bid to proffer solutions to the issues bedeviling the smooth conduct of polls, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday met with stakeholders of the INC and its six Presidential candidates, as well as other major stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in Government House, Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Governor commended individuals and institutions, including the presidential candidates and the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), for their efforts towards actualising a peaceful and seamless transition of leadership in the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
The Tide gathered that at the meeting, the presidential candidates agreed to withdraw all subsisting litigations concerning the election.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Diri also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Bolade Igali, the Chairman and members of the INC National Electoral Committee, and other stakeholders who contributed to the resolution reached at the meeting.
Drawing an analogy from the scriptures, particularly 1 Kings Chapter 3, he likened the unanimous agreement of the candidates to withdraw all pending court cases to the decision of the true mother of the disputed baby who pleaded with King Solomon not to cut the child into two.
According to the Bayelsa helmsman, the resolution reflects the enthusiasm, love and patriotic fervour in all the presidential candidates to move Ijaw nation forward.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the meeting, the candidates, including High Chief MacDonald Igbadiwe, who secured the injunction from a Port Harcourt High Court stopping the INC Elections billed for last weekend, confirmed the agreement and pledged commitment towards the peaceful emergence of the next President of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organization.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has rescued seven victims and detained four suspects linked to human trafficking along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.
John said police operatives dismantled a human trafficking syndicate operating within the state, rescuing seven victims and arresting four suspects involved in the network.
She said acting on credible intelligence, operatives swiftly mobilised a patrol team for a coordinated stop-and-search operation along Ikot Ekpene–Aba Road on Friday.
The operation, conducted at about 8 a.m. on Friday, targeted vehicles suspected of transporting victims of human trafficking.
“During the operation, the suspected vehicle was intercepted and four victims were immediately rescued, while the suspect conveying them was arrested and taken into custody.
“Following reports that a vehicle was conveying young persons suspected to be victims of human trafficking, our operatives quickly moved to intercept it,” John said.
She said interrogation of the suspect led to the expansion of the operation to Itam and Ibaka in Oron Local Government Area.
John said three additional victims were rescued and three more suspects apprehended during the follow-up operation.
This brought the total number of rescued victims to seven and suspects arrested to four.
According to her, preliminary investigations revealed that the trafficking syndicate specialised in recruiting and transporting young persons across borders for exploitation.
“Intelligence gathered further disclosed that one of the ringleaders earlier escaped through waterways from Ibaka in Oron to Cameroon and Gabon with some victims”, she said.
John said investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the probe.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes in the state.
She assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
John urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information to the police to help protect vulnerable persons and strengthen community safety.
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