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Niger Delta

Bayelsa Begins 22km Ring Road Project, Directs COVID-19 Compliance

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4 years ago

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Bayelsa State Government has approved the commencement and construction of the 22-kilometer Igbogene-AIT Outer Ring Road project in Yenagoa from January 2021.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Ayibaina Duba, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the state Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
Throwing more light on the council’s decision, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Moses Teibowei, said the construction of the road, which was initiated by the immediate past administration in 2013, was part of the present administration’s desire to improve the state’s infrastructure.
Mr Teibowei said the project, which would re-commence from the second week of January next year, would cost the state over N22 billion with a completion duration of 24 months.
He also spoke on the ongoing Edepie-Etegwe roundabout expansion project, stating that phase one was almost completed while phase two, which involves the building of a retaining wall and sand filling near the Etegwe bridge, would commence soon.
He said this would prevent encroachment and illegal trading on government’s right-of-way as well as beautify and make the place motorable.
“In order to effectively improve on the infrastructure deficit of our state, a memo was presented to the Executive Council to the effect of constructing the Igbogene-AIT Outer Ring Road and the council did approve it”, he said.
“This was a project started by the last administration in 2013 but was stopped as a result of lack of funds. However, the Prosperity Administration, recognising the importance of the road, decided to give Bayelsans a New Year gift with the commencement of construction of the Igbogene-AIT Outer Ring Road”, he added.
“The length of the road is about 22 kilometres. By the grace of God, work would commence on that road with effect from the second week of January 2021. The project is expected to be completed in 24 months and the cost is over N22 billion”, he noted.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Pabara Igwele, said in light of the second wave of COVID-19 spike in the country, council directed all civil servants, political appointees and government functionaries to know their COVID-19 status by going for testing immediately.
Dr. Igwele also said council directed the immediate commencement of active case search across the state, especially in Yenagoa.
He said the COVID-19 guidelines approved by the Executive Council, which is to safeguard Bayelsans during the yuletide season, also directed all bars, night clubs, event and recreational centres, restaurants and hotels to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 protocols by the use of facemasks, washing of hands and physical distancing.
The Health Commissioner called on Bayelsans to restrict all informal and formal events, including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars and all end of year events with not more than 50 persons in attendance.
Igwele added that all religious gatherings should not be more than 50 per cent capacity of the facility of use, in which physical distancing, mandatory use of facemasks would be strictly enforced.

 

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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Niger Delta

Bayelsa Charges Environment Ministry To  End Bush Burning

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7 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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The Bayelsa State Government has ordered its Ministry of Environment to take necessary measures to identify and arrest individuals or groups indulging in indiscriminate bush burning in the state.
It also directed its Taskforce on Livestock Management to take proactive steps to checkmate the activities of cattle rearers to prevent the destruction of crops and farms across communities in all the local government areas of the state.
Acting Governor of the State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the directives while presiding over the 146th Session of the  State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Media, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quoted him as emphasizing on the dangers of bush burning to the environment, ecosystem and human health.
The statement added that the state’s number two man also warned those perpetrating the act to stop forthwith or face the wrath of the law.
To this end, Atasi added that the Acting State Chief Executive directed the Ministry of Environment to activate the taskforce, with a view to apprehending those found culpable and to ensure they are brought to justice.
On cattle rearers encroaching on farmlands and destroying crops, Senator Ewhrudjakpo noted that the law on anti-grazing was still in force and should be implemented in all ramifications.
He, therefore, directed the taskforce on livestock management in the state to operationalize all machineries to ensure that herders carry out their trade within the limits of the law to avoid unnecessary destruction of lives and property, including crops.
“We want to use this opportunity to alert the public about the danger of bush burning. The hazards are quite known by everybody.
“Nobody should, for the sake of their farms which they want to keep clean and cultivate, jeopardize the health of other citizens. And so, the Ministry of Environment is hereby directed to activate the taskforce on anti-burning.
“The ministry must make sure that all those who are involved in bush burning are discouraged, and where they fail to comply, they should either be brought to justice or justice taken to them.
“In a similar vein, we are aware of the influx of herders into our state. The state taskforce on livestock management is hereby also directed to activate all machineries to ensure that herders don’t come into our state to destroy our farmlands.
“The law on anti-grazing remains in force and should be enforced in all ramifications. So, livestock management committee, both at the state and local government areas, should be activated and make sure that they curtail and contain every unnecessary grazing that is not permitted in our state”, he said.
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Stakeholders Caution Delta Over Propose Mangrove Forest Sale

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7 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has cautioned the Delta State Government over its proposed sale of 258, 000 hectares of mangrove forests, for billions of naira.
According to the Tide’s source, HOMEF stated that carbon trade pollutes the environment, and  it is dangerous to human nature.
The Executive Director, HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, who was a Guest Speaker at the Environment outreach magazine public lecture/annual award at Spring Hills Hotel in Asaba, explained that carbon trade is a killer disease which is bound to affect human beings including rivers.
Basse said through Blue Carbon or carbon trade, which is the sale of mangrove forest, people will calculate the carbon in the mangrove, then sell it as carbon credit.
“Delta State is proposing to sell 258, 000 hectares of mangrove forests, one of the biggest in the country to some companies whose intentions we believe is to sell the carbon to oil companies, and when they buy the credit, then they have the right to pollute.
“Carbon credit is set to upset the pollution that is why it is a false solution.
“So, it doesn’t work. We have to do what is right to nature, and not necessarily because of money. Don’t allow carbon trading, don’t allow waters pollution”, Basset stated.
Earlier, Bayelsa-born Noble Akenge, the publisher of Environment Outreach magazine, lamented the negative effects of environmental pollution in the State.
Akenge said the state, being the heart of petroleum activities, had suffered a lot of ecological damages due to oil spills.
The Environmentalist noted that the people’s major preoccupation of fishing and farming have been impacted seriously as most of their farmlands and even rivers and streams have been polluted by oil spills.
“The destruction of the rivers in Delta State represent the phenomena in most Niger Delta States where oil and related activities take place”, he added.
The source reports that Awards were presented to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, among others.
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Eno Recommits To Accountability, Effective Service Delivery

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7 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, says his administration will remain committed to ensuring effective leadership, service delivery and be accountable to the people.
He made the remarks at the maiden edition of his administration’s ministerial briefing and end of year review in Uyo on Monday.
He said his administration would remain purely committed to delivering democracy dividends to Akwa Ibom people in line with its campaign promises.
The Governor stated that the ministerial  briefing was to enable the administration to present its scorecard in the past 18 months.
According to him, the briefing is an enlarged executive council meeting aimed at presenting government’s scorecard and gaining new ideas.
“The exercise will enable Akwa Ibom people to evaluate and assess our government’s performance so far.
“In the past 18 months, this administration has been accountable, transparent and prudent in managing public funds.
“Release of funds must be tied to ideas and projects that will benefit the generality of Akwa Ibom people”, he said.
Eno stated that his administration is open to constructive criticisms, saying, ”I mean criticisms that will put government on its toes, and not smear campaign and condemnation.
“I must say that we have done well. It is left for critical stakeholders to analyse what we have done. We have tried to keep to the ideals of the ARISE Agenda”.
He said his administration is currently working on three major projects such as the Aviation Village, Ibom Deep Sea Port and Ibom Medical City.
Eno continued that the three major projects were capital intensive, and that his administration had to give priority attention to the airport project following its quick return on investment.
He commended his predecessor for embarking on projects that had strategic investment value.
According to the Commissioner, in 2025, his administration would be holding town hall meeting twice in a month to ensure public inputs to governance.
In his presentation, the Commissioner for Lands and Town Planning, Capt. Iniobong Ekong (Rtd), said the State Government had religiously settled compensations for lands acquired from citizens.
Ekong stated that the government had successfully reclaimed all government lands that were acquired illegally.
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