Niger Delta

We’ll Complete Repayment Of Sylva’s N50bn Bond -Dickson

Published

7 years ago

March 22, 2019

The Bayelsa State Government under Governor Seriake Dickson has restated its commitment to completing repayment of the N50billion bond facility which was obtained by the administration of former Governor Timipre Sylva.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Maxwell Ebibai reiterated the government’s commitment while briefing newsmen on major resolutions reached at the 105 State Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa last Wednesday.
He, however, did not disclose how much of the N50billion bond had been repaid so far by the government and how much was left.
Sylva took over from former President Goodluck Jonathan as governor of Bayelsa State in 2007 and was sacked from office by a court judgment in January 2012 after he was denied a second term governorship ticket by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In 2013, he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and became the leader of the party in the state.
Recall that the Governor Dickson-led administration had in May 2016 claimed to have expended the sum of N123billion to service debts, including bonds and foreign loans collected by the Sylva administration, from 2012 to May 2016.
But the figure was a contradiction of the government’s earlier claim in August 2015 that it had spent N242billion to pay debts incurred by the Sylva administration.
Dickson, at the time, disclosed that he inherited a massive debt profile of N332 billion from the Sylva administration when he assumed office as governor in February 2012.
He said that his government had paid N242billion to service the debts and that about N90billion was the balance payment. According to the government, the total value of the bond was N104 billion and was expected to be paid off in June 2017.
Nevertheless, the Commissioner for Finance told reporters that the Dickson administration had been committed in the repayment of the loan in order to take off the huge burden it had placed on Bayelsa.
Ebibai also said that the State Executive Council also reviewed the funding options before it for some of its key projects and the challenges of completing such projects.
He explained that to achieve its target, the government had expanded the Contractor Infrastructure Finance Development Scheme (CIFDS), which would give contractors access to funds directly from banks based on milestones.
Ebibai further explained that with the scheme, contractors could approach banks to secure the loan and execute their projects while the state government will act as a guarantor and ensure that the loans are repaid based on the job done.
He said, “It is a sort of a Public Private Partnership (PPP). It involves the government, the contractors and the banks. We are not borrowing, but the contractors.
“We will only guarantee payment based on the job done. By this, we are sure to complete some of our key projects.”
Ebibai stated that the present administration was determined to start the sand filling of the Nembe/Brass Road in Bayelsa East Senatorial District with an eye for the completion of the Sagbama/Ekeremor Road in Bayelsa East and Yenagoa/Oporoma Road in Bayelsa Central, and other projects.

Niger Delta

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

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

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.

Niger Delta

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

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

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.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

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.