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A’Ibom Communities Demand Oil Producing Areas Commission

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Oil producing communities in Akwa Ibom have requested the state government to establish a commission that will address their challenges.

Former Senator and community leader in Esit Eket Local Government Area, Mr Etang Umoyo, told newsmen  in Uyo on Friday, that such a commission was needed to solve the problems arising from oil production.

Umoyo, who spoke on the outcome of a tripartite meeting of oil producing communities, state government and ExxonMobil, said the company had agreed to step up its social responsibilities to the host communities.

He said that Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Ibeno councils – the core host communities of ExxonMobil, had been directed to raise a five-man committee to discuss the May 1oil spill.

“The committee will make recommendations to ExxonMobil on how to bring succor to those affected by the oil spill.

“Over the years, we have had oil spill from ExxonMobil facilities. The company had been so insensitive to the issue and had not paid adequate compensation,” Umoyo alleged.

He said the meeting afforded the host communities the opportunity to address the state government on the “antics of the oil company playing one host community against the other”.

The Chairman of Eket Local Government, Mr Emmanuel Udoh, said the meeting urged the state government to abide by the High Court Ruling of 2002 which directed government to draw up an administrative map of the littoral council areas.

Udoh said the host communities had complained of assault on women protesters by Mobil security agents during May 1 oil spill at Qua Iboe Terminal, Ibeno.

According to him, that state government has advised the company to show concern for the host communities.

Udoh, who expressed hope that ExxonMobil will turn a new leaf, added that the communities also demanded a review of the 1998 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

A Public Affairs official of ExxonMobil told The Tide on Sunday that the meeting yielded fruitful results that would foster better community relations.

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Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina

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The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.

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Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three

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The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association,  Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo  also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.

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AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition

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The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.

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