Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, has urged political office holders in the eight local government areas of the State to see their positions as an opportunity to serve the grassroots and prepare for higher responsibility in public service.
He gave the charge recently at an enlarged meeting with chairmen, principal officers and members of the legislative arms, political secretaries and supervisory councillors of the councils in his office.
He advised members of the legislative arms not to treat politics as a profession, imploring them to avoid infighting and to cooperate with their chairmen to make impact at the third tier of government.

According to him, if office holders regard their current assignments as a test for greater opportunities, serving the people well will not be difficult.
He said as representatives of the people at the grassroots, they should use their offices to deliver dividends of democracy that would help secure victory at their polling units and wards in the 2027 general election.
The Bayelsa number two man noted that delivering their polling units was not just about the interest of party candidates, but a personal obligation needed to sustain the system they all belong to.
He also urged them to play active roles in the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the state’s creation by sensitising people at the grassroots to participate in the “Bayelsa at 30” celebrations.
“Every leadership position or political appointment you occupy is an examination you must pass. We want to know what you have done with your stay in office.
“I tell people that every political office is a privilege and an her responsibility in public service.

examination we all need to pass and stand a brighter chance of being entrusted with higher responsibility in public service.
“Your position is not to fight or make trouble with your respective chairmen. If there are issues, you bring them up using the right channels for us to address them.
“Loyalty is about one captain and his crew. You cannot have a different agenda from the captain and the crew. Few of us are still struggling to key into the direction the ship is taking”, he said.
“You cannot be in these positions and fold your hands. You are the people at the grassroots. So, do everything to boost your social and political influence at that level. Your office must bring political dividends to the system.
“Take this as a personal matter to deliver your polling units genuinely. I want you to know that the forthcoming election transcends the flag-bearers; it is about us. You have to bring something to the pool”, the Deputy Governor added.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office, Comrade Gowon Toruyouyei; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy l Adviser to the Governor on Treasury and Accounts, Mr. Timipre Seipulu; and chairmen of the eight local government councils, among others.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

Following the directive of the Federal Government for immediate intervention in the deplorable condition of the Benin-Sapelle section of East-West Road, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has flagged-off the reconstruction of a 15.4-km failed stretch of the expressway at Amukpe, Sapele- Benin Road.
Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, who officially led the flag-off of the road construction last Wednesday, said the Commission swung to the directive of President Bola Tinubu for the immediate leverage of the users of the Road.
“Following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene swiftly, the NDDC has mobilised two civil engineering firms to reconstruct the road. This will help minimise the suffering and gridlock faced by commuters”, he said.

Ogbuku, who apologized on behalf of President Tinubu, observed that the decay of that road did not start from the present Federal administration, assuring that hope will be returned.
“We feel your pain; the most important thing is that hope has come”, he assured.
According to the NDDC boss, the Commission engaged two contractors to work simultaneously on the road, saying that the construction needs not to take long period for its completion.
He added that the NDDC had previously intervened on the Irrua axis of the Benin-Auchi Road, which, he said, had remained impassable for years, as it as been on the East-West Road, between Rivers and Bayelsa states.
It will be recalled that recently, the Federal Ministry of Works, led by the Minister, David Umahi, Edo State Government, and NDDC personnel, carried out a joint inspection of the bad roads in Edo and Delta states after the presidential directive.
The joint inspection by the Minister of Works, the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the NDDC management, and members of the National Assembly Committees on Works was a precursor to the intervention in the Benin-Sapele axis.
Speaking during the flag-off at Amukpe roundabout, the Chairman of the NDDC Board, Chiedu Ebie, admitted thus: “We’ve all suffered the delays and pains on this road. So, today, we are here to deal with a 15 km stretch of this alignment.”
Ebie said the NDDC was determined to complete the project and bring relief to commuters who had endured prolonged delays and difficult travelling conditions on the road.
According to him, the Benin-Sapele Expressway is not merely a regional road, but a critical national economic corridor linking the South-South with other parts of the country.
Sheriff Oborevwori, the Delta State Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Works, Rural Roads and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, formally declared the road reconstruction open.
He commended the NDDC for commencing the reconstruction of the failed portions of the Benin-Sapele Expressway, describing the intervention as a major boost to connectivity, economic activities, and the well-being of residents in the state and motorists.
The Governor said the intervention underscored the importance of collaboration among governments and agencies in tackling infrastructure challenges across the Niger Delta region.
He recalled that the Delta State government had also intervened in several federal roads in the state because the ultimate beneficiaries were Deltans, irrespective of whether such roads fell under federal or state jurisdiction.
Oborevwori stressed that the state government had spent over N300 billion on federal roads to make them motorable and reduce the hardship faced by road users.
He described the NDDC intervention on the Benin-Sapele axis as a welcome development, saying that when completed, it would ease transportation and contribute to the economic growth of Delta State and indeed other states on the East-West Road alignment.
The Delta Governor appealed to residents and other stakeholders to cooperate with the NDDC and the contractors to ensure the project was completed timeously.
“Benin-Sapele-Warri Road is one of Nigeria’s most strategic highways and a major economic gateway to the Niger Delta.
“It links the Southwest to the South-South and moves goods, people, and oil haulage. It is one of Nigeria’s most strategic highways and a major economic gateway to the Niger Delta, but for years its collapse left motorists stranded for days, disrupted transportation of goods and exposed travellers to security risks.
“With work now starting from the Sapele axis, I have confidence that NDDC is committed to complete the project within the shortest possible time”, the Delta State Governor concluded.

Enoch Epelle

The Cross River State Government has commenced a major clean-up exercise in Calabar to protect the environment and restore order in the state capital.
The Commissioner for Environment, Bassey Offiong Mensah, led the operation at Atimbo Roundabout and the Airport Field, where he directed traders occupying pedestrian walkways with tables and kiosks to relocate to nearby markets.
He stated that the exercise aligns with the vision of the State Governor, Bassey Otu, to position Cross River as “a major tourism hub and the cleanest city in Nigeria.”
During an engagement with traders, the commissioner expressed the government’s dissatisfaction with the persistent obstruction of walkways despite repeated warnings and public sensitisation.
Mensah stated that the practice forces pedestrians into active traffic lanes, exposing them to avoidable accidents.
He also highlighted accessibility concerns, saying such obstructions create “major barriers to people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices.”
The Commissioner warned that “all tables, kiosks, POS signage and other outdoor displays” must be removed from walkways to guarantee pedestrian safety and free movement.
As part of the cleanup, illicit trading networks and unlawful open-air markets were dismantled at Atimbo Roundabout, IBB/Edim Otop/CUDA, Etta Agbor Roundabout and Rabana Junction.
The Commissioner cautioned vendors against returning to the cleared sites, warning that defaulters would face prosecution and confiscation of goods, and urged them to “support the governor’s efforts by remaining law abiding” in the interest of a cleaner Calabar.
At Marian Market, Mensah was joined by the Mayor of Calabar, Apostle James Anam. The team moved from the Marian Market pedestrian bridge down to the Ediba Road axis to reaffirm the government’s zero-tolerance stance on trading on walkways.
They also interacted with Keke and mini-bus drivers around the market, advising them to operate in an orderly manner or risk being pushed out of the market area.
The clean-up drive also targeted government reserved green areas. At the Margaret Ekpo International Airport Field and the field along IBB behind the Airport, the Commissioner notified footballers and food vendors of the government’s decision to reclaim and preserve the spaces.

government’s decision to reclaim and preserve the spaces.
He described the unauthorised use of green areas for football training as “unacceptable and a violation of environmental laws protecting nature, trees, and green areas.”
He further warned against dumping and burning of refuse in the reserves, noting that “the Cross River State Government spent huge amounts in planting the grasses.”