Niger Delta
Bayelsa, NEXIM Bank Mull Partnership On Exports Promotion
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated its preparedness to partner the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank in harnessing non-oil and gas resources in the state for export.
Deputy Governor of the State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made this known weekend during a courtesy call on him by a delegation from NEXIM Bank, led by its South-South Regional Head, Mr. Soni Oseghale, in Government House, Yenagoa.
Expressing the belief that the objective of the bank was in line with the Assured Prosperity Agenda of the present administration, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, however, debunked the impression that Bayelsa was a mono-product state.
He emphasized that apart from oil and gas, the state is richly endowed with a wide range of natural resources, including fish and arable land capable of producing rice, oil palm, plantain and several other crops in commercial quantities.
The Deputy Governor, who noted that Bayelsa has comparative advantage in aquaculture and fisheries, urged the visiting team to undertake a tour to the state’s fish farm at the Yenegwe- Igbogene area, which has potential for producing enough fish to feed the state and for export.
While calling on the NEXIM Bank to bring in their wealth of experience and expertise to help the state maximally harness its natural resources for export, Senator Ewhrudjakpo assured them that the state investment team was prepared for all the necessary discussions and documentation to ensure the prompt take-off of the partnership deal.
“Your mission here is quite apt for us as a government, and your objective is also in line with that of our government of assured prosperity, especially in diversifying the economy.
“But, let me again correct the impression that Bayelsa produces oil and gas only. We are not a mono-product state, but Bayelsa is often short-changed in several ways.
“Look at the tax reforms now, what is there for Bayelsa? You are doing a tax reform for VAT and other things, but does oil not play a major part in VAT? There is VAT in the oil they are selling, but nobody is talking about it.
“We have products that we really would want you to encourage us to harness. If you have the time, I would like you to visit Yenegwe and see our fish farm there. In my opinion, that fish farm alone is enough for us to start from.
“That place was meant to export fish, a lot of resources have been committed to it. It has capacity of processing about 10 thousand dried fish in a single day. It has a feed mill, and everything you can think of. It is like the fish terminal at Tamale, in Ghana.
“We actually believe that aquaculture should be our best foot out. We have a comparative advantage in rice, oil palm, shrimps, and all those things you have mentioned. But let us look for the ones that would give us immediate success”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Regional Head of NEXIM Bank, South South, Mr. Soni Oseghale, said the team was in Bayelsa to collaborate with the State Government in identifying non-oil resources available in commercial quantity which could be exploited and harnessed for export.
Mr. Oseghale, who noted that each of the 36 states of the federation had resources that could be tapped to earn foreign exchange, however, stressed that no deliberate effort had been made to correct Nigeria’s foreign trade deficit because of the country’s over-dependence on oil and gas for export.
He said the bank would readily deploy its strategy working in close synergy with the technical team of the Bayelsa State government to fully explore identified areas of comparative advantage for export purposes.
Present at the courtesy visit were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mrs. Peremoboere Soroh, and the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Accounts, Revenue and Treasury, Mr. Timipre Seipulou
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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