Opinion

Oil Firms And Niger Delta Dev

Published

16 years ago

November 9, 2009

Of all the stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, the multi-national oil companies should take the greater blame for the environmental devastation resulting from several decades of oil exploration and exploitation. In their search for the black gold, they have combed the swamps and ravaged the mangroves; polluted the rivers and rlvulcts; scorched the farmlands and left the people gasping for breath just like the fish 111 the region, which have been suffocated by oil spills.
With this unflattering track record, one would expect the oil companies to throw their full weight behind efforts to revive and regenerate the environment for a people that have been so unjustly treated. Given the enormous impact of their activities on the environment. they arc expected to be at the forefront in the critical task of urgently developing the oil basin that has suffered so much neglect in the past. It is. In fact, in their interest to develop the region where they operate in order to guarantee peace, which is very necessary for them to continue with their work.
Rather than lead the assault on underdevelopment and injustice, some of the oil companies are busy throwing spanners in the works. For fifty-one years, they have planted more Christmas trees (capped oil wells) than those that would yield economic benefits. It is, indeed baffling to learn that the oil companies are defaulting in the discharge of their statutory obligations to government agencies charged with the responsibility of developing the Niger Delta. The recent disclosure that oil firms owe the Niger Delta Development Commission. NDDC, a whooping N7.55 billion came to many as a rude shock.
According to the Managing Director of the commission, Mr. Chibuzor Ugwoha, the Foreign oil companies operating in the Niger Delta have accumulated $50 million in unpaid royalties to the NDDC This, he said, is besides other statutory return, payable in naira, which the oil firms have also not remitted to the commission. Ugwoha, said the 200 audit report of the Nigeria Extractive Industry ‘Transparency Initiative (NEITI) show that some of the oil firms did not remit the funds. Which represented part of the three per cent of their total budget which they arc legally obliged to pay to the NDDC every year.
He said: “We are equally aware that a certain amount of money due to the commission from the government is yet to be paid and that makes development difficult because we need a lot of money to be able to develop the region. Those who know the terrain of the region will agree with me that where it is possible to construct one kilometer of road in some please with less challenges, it takes far more to build roads in the liger Delta because of the terrain”.
He stated that the commission was committed to a comprehensive development and transformation of the region, which he believes would ultimately curb the activities of militants. He said: “President Umaru Yar’ Adua had on August 6 during the inauguration of the new Board of the NDDC charged us that the region should be transformed and that we should focus specifically onll1aJor projects that would impact on the lives of the people so that problems that had lingered in the region will be
Things of the past. However, these cannot be achieved without adequate funding as part of the funds due to the NDDC is yet to be remitted from the contributions on the part of oil companies and industries that operate in the Niger Delta”.
Certainly the NDDC needs to be adequately funded to enable it confront the challenges of developing the region that gives Nigeria its oil wealth. All the key stakeholders, which include the three tiers of government and the oil companies. have a responsibility to support the NDDC as the agency driving the implementation of the Niger Delta Regional Devc1opment Master Plan. Records show that the commission has only received 30 per cent of its expected revenue since inception in 2001. The statutory allocations to the commission have consistent been withheld for inexplicable reasons.
The NDDC Act states c1earl) how the commission shall be funded. Section 14 (2) provides that “there shall be paid and credited to the fund established pursuant to subsection II of this section: (a ) of from the Federal Government the equivalent or 15 per cent of the total monthly allocation due to the member states of the commission from the federation account, this being the contribution of the Federal Government to the commission: (b) three per cent of the total annual budget of any oil-producing company operating onshore and offshore in the Niger Delta area. Including gas processing companies: (c) 50 per cent of monies due to member states of’ the commission from the ecological fund … ‘“ and other sources such as grants and loans.
Contrary to the provisions of’ the Act, some of’ the oil companies have not been paying the three per cent of their annual budget as required by law. The records show, that they deduct first charges bc1c.m; calculating the three per cent from the balance. It is more like cutting the nose to spite the face, given that what they spend for the development of” the Niger Delta is for their own good at the end of” the day.
The oil companies tell anyone that cares to listen that they are doing their best to be good corporate citizens and that they arc socially responsible of’ course, they know that it is in their best interest to have a peaceful relationship with their host communities. J However, despite this realization, many of them arc not doing enough to show that they are truly committed to the development of their host communities. Building a bloc of classroom here and another clinic there can at hest be descried as no more than sheer tokenism.
Apart from statutory requirements, the oil companies also have moral and .social responsibilities to fulfill. The oil workers arc the ones sharing the same neighborhood with the villagers. They cannot in good conscience he enjoying potable water while the villagers around them arc drinking polluted water or enjoying uninterrupted supply of electricity while their hosts arc in perpetual darkness or for them to live in mansions while the indigenous neighbours live in hovels
“It is even wrong for the oil companies to think that they arc doing their host communities a 1~I\’our h) allowing them to share their facilities with them. In fact such pecks arc not enough compensation for the despoliation of’ their environment. In addition to hand-outs. the oil companies have moral obligations to replenish the lands they arc destroying.
The truth is that oil companies no longer operate freely in the Niger Delta. The NDDC on the other hand does not suffer from this encumbrance, apparently because of its track record of working hands in gloves with the people at the grassroots. Obviously. The commission is well positioned to assist the oil companies to win the hearts and minds of the oil-bearing communities where they operate.
As Mr. Agwoha rightly said, it is not only the oil companies that have faded in meeting the statutory obligations to the commission. According to him, the Federal Government is equally culpable, as the interventionist agency was getting only 10 per cent from it instead of 15 per cent during the Obasanjo administration. This resulted in the much-talked about N326 billion debt that it owed the commission.
President Musa Yar’ Adua. known for his avowed respect for the rule of law, should promptly pay up the outstanding debt. This would strengthen the hands of the new board to actualize his vision for the rapid development of the Niger Delta.
Mr Agbu writes from Port Harcourt.

Ifeatu Agbu

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

1 hour ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”

The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.

The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.

Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.

Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.

The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the Heads of Department can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.

The Governing Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script, inputting of wrong results and sorting. This is necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

Published

1 hour ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”

In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.

In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.

When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.

Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.

Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.

Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.

Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes

Published

1 week ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.

Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.

For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.

Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.

Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.

By: King Onunwor