Niger Delta

MOSIEND Tasks NDDC MD, Board On Open-Door Policies Sustenance

Published

2 years ago

November 20, 2023

The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board to maintain an open-door policy and carry the people along.
President of MOSIEND, Mr Kennedy Tonjo-West, in a statement on Friday, said this would make developmental projects executed by the NDDC at all times reflect the dreams of the people of the region.
He congratulated the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, and the NDDC Board over their reappointment and inauguration,
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for considering them worthy to serve the people of the Niger Delta for another tenure.
Tonko-West, who noted that Ogbuku and his team had already laid the foundation for the growth and development of the Niger Delta, said their reappointment is a plus to the Federal Government and the people of the region because they are there to consolidate on the achievements already in place.
The MOSIEND President said the NDDC boss and his team, in less than a year, executed the aims and objectives of the Board with due diligence and nothing was done without the input of stakeholders of the regional.
“Thus they were able to achieve results and set the pace for development and accelerated growth.
“We are convinced that they are all coming with their sleeves folded for action and to continue to change the narratives”, he said.
He further said the NDDC team was very familiar with the yearnings of the people of the Niger Delta, and prayed God to grant the NDDC boss and his team all that is required to succeed in the tasks ahead.
Assuring that MOSIEND will continue to support the commission whenever its advice or energy is needed to push the region forward, he said there is no better alternative for the Niger Delta than Ogbuku and the current members of the board who, he said, have shown commitment to transform the region and its people.
“We have no doubt about their capacity because we know that they will give us nothing less than the best.
“They’ve been tested and trusted and we are happy that Mr. President listened to our prayers to reappoint them to continue to serve the people.
“We enjoin them to remain focused and steadfast in their collective resolve to transform the Niger Delta region better than they met it.
“We also sue for cooperation, tolerance, tenacity, and team playing spirit as they march side-by-side to pushing the region towards global centre stage for business, as well as safe delight and investment haven”, Tonjo-West said.
According to him, as MOSIEND, they are always open to anything and anybody that is poised to bringing development to the region, and that they will continue to pray for the NDDC to succeed.
He also assured that MOSIEND would continue to play their role as stakeholders to make the region peaceful for growth, development, and regional cohesion.

Niger Delta

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

Published

20 hours 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

20 hours 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

20 hours 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.