Niger Delta

Bayelsa Tasks Parents On Involvement In Curbing Drug Abuse

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2023

The Bayelsa State Government says parents must be involved in checking drug abuse in the society.

Commissioner for Power, Hon. Abitei Robert Tonyo, said this in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of the just-concluded international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The Commissioner said everyone must be involved in curbing drug abuse as Government alone cannot do everything

“First, it’s something that everyone of us has to be involved, including the parents, because most of these things start from the family”, he said.

He said most parents no longer pay attention to the behavior of their children.

The Commissioner said while Government is playing its part in curbing the menace, it behoves parents to give proper attention to the upbringing of their children.

“So, the governments have done their part and keep doing it on daily basis, that is why we are even seeing this little difference.

“Again, the security agents are also doing their bits and without the security agents and the government, I don’t think it would have had any control, but because of the fear of the government that has even controlled it to this level where we are.

“So, every parent must have to be involved. You can see that the society we are, like I said, everything starts from the family now, because the upbringing matters sometimes.

Tonyon said the Bayelsa State Government has taken some measures to curb the menace, including the arrest of drug addicts, rehabilitating and sending them back to their families

“I know Bayelsa State government has put enough in place, and that’s why yesterday we were able to launch it and observe the day against international day drug abuse.

“Government has set up a committee that is handling it and Bayelsa State has also built a hospital to rehabitate all those that are already addicted.

“Also, the State Government sometime ago has been going out arresting all those boys that have been addicted. some of the addiction led to some of them going mad on the streets.

“Some have been rehabitated and sent back to their communities”, he said.

The Commissioner said the government is also partnering with the Federal Medical center, Yenagoa, to rehabilitate those arrested from the streets.

He said all the relevant ministries, including that of Enviroment, health and others are involved in the rehabilitation programme.

“The government took a decision and ministrirs of health, Ennvironments and other relevant ministries were on it, arresting them and taking them to the hospital and rehabilitating them”, he said.

Tonyon said his Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that it rids the state of drug addicts.

“Of course you know that right now the government has put up a structure in hospital for that.

“The Bayelsa State Government is taking practical steps on that. First, the government put up a structure and also manpower.

“We partnered with the Federal Medical Center and have a space in there that has been keeping these people and managing them with the manpower that we have.

“The Government did not just put the structure, it also followed it up accordingly, so that what we are putting in place will not be a waste”, he said.

He advised the youths to desist from drug abuse, saying it will not pay them any good.

“My advice to the youths, elders and adults involved in drug abuse is for them to desiste from using drugs because it will always not end well for them”, he stated.

He urged them to think of something good to improve their lives, adding that by indulging in drug abuse, they are destroying their future and that of their families.

By: Christy David

Niger Delta

RSBOPP Moves To Review Procurement Processes

Published

2 days ago

January 22, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RSBOPP), says efforts are being made to strengthen the existing procurement processes leading to the award of contracts and jobs execution in the state to enhance service delivery.

The Board chairman of the RSBOPP, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in his office in Port Harcourt, after a meeting with staff of the agency, last Friday.

Oko-Jaja who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stated that procurement had become a global issue, stressing that without a proper procurement plan, it would be difficult for any state or nation to move forward in the attainment of its developmental strategies and goals.

The chairman said that the Board had observed some improprieties in the procurement processes and assured that they would take every measure to ensure full compliance with the state procurement laws.

“We will ensure that the laws are followed and we have value for money. We must ensure that money is used for contract execution and not to enrich people’s pockets. We’ll ensure that the money being quoted for any job or contract corresponds with the prevailing market price. We are going to strengthen the monitoring and evaluating team of the Board to perform their duties; going to markets, verify the prices quoted for and also ensure compliance.

“We are going to look into the procurement laws to see how we can close the existing gaps noticed that are not in line with global practices. These measures will also affect local government councils in the state to ensure there is value for money and save money for the state government. And in doing so, the government can spread its services across the state and not in one place.

“His Excellency, the governor of the state has a mantra, “Rivers first”. We are going to ensure we assist him and the state government achieve this policy by ensuring that the procurement laws are complied with and things are done rightly. That is why we are here,” he said.

Oko-Jaja assured that members of the Board would justify the confidence reposed in them by the state governor for the benefit of the state.

Earlier, in an interactive meeting between Board members and staff of the agency, the Board chairman of RSBOPP told the excited workforce that the Board had approved the merger of some departments, namely Legal, Ethics Human Resources and the Facility Management departments to ensure maximum output and efficiency in service delivery.

He said that the Legal and Ethics departments had been merged as one department, adding the Human Resources and Facility Management departments had also been merged.

He told them that going forward every department would also be accountable for its responsibility and announced that the Board had also approved that conditions of service should be put in place for the staff of the agency so that they would grow like their counterparts in the state mainstream civil service.

Akujobi Amadi

Niger Delta

You Have Our Ears, Fubara Assures Civil Servants

Published

2 days ago

January 22, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government says it would continue to address the needs of Civil Servants in the State.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara stated this during the Rivers State Civil Service 2025 New Year Thanksgiving Service, at the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, last Friday.

Speaking through his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said his Administration is willing and ready to do what will make Civil Servants happy, more hardworking, and more distinguished.

“I want to tell you that you have our ears, and you can tell because when the Head of Service gave his address, there were no demands because while you were yet asking, it was already executed. We want you to know that to whom much is given, much is expected. We do not take your love and support for granted.” Governor Fubara stressed.

The State Chief Executive urged Civil Servants to redouble and rekindle their energy to ensure that the Rivers State Civil Service becomes the envy of Civil Service in Nigeria, noting that the State Government is pleased to work as a family with Civil Servants.

He implored them to continue to uphold his Administration in prayers, which according to him has kept him thus far, adding that prayers would lead them for years to come while asking them to be proud of whom they are as Civil Servants.

In his address, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nweke, expressed gratitude to Governor Fubara for the implementation of the enhanced minimum wage, payment of Christmas bonus, improved retirement benefits, and creation of employment opportunities amongst others, as well as issuance of SME loans facility to deserving Civil Servants in the State.

Dr Nweke who said the theme of this year’s thanksgiving “Peace Be Still” reminds us that even amid turmoil and uncertainties you can find peace and calm in God’s presence while urging them to pray for continuous peace and development in the State.

In his sermon, the Dean Church of God, Anglican Communion, the Most. Rev. Blessing Enyindah who spoke on the theme “Peace Be Still” drawn from Mark 4:35-41, said storms of life may manifest in different ways and forms, causing us anxiety and sleepless nights but with Jesus Christ by our side, there is hope.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Police Nabs 4 Fire Service Trucks Theft

Published

7 days ago

January 17, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, has arrested four suspects who are allegedly involved in the theft of four Fire Service trucks belonging to the state Fire Service.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Muhammed Azare, disclosed this during a Press briefing held at the Command’s headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia in Uyo, said the suspects were arrested following credible information that the trucks were stolen and heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Azare said, “Based on credible information from a good samaritan that 4 of the state Fire Service trucks were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, River State, by some officials of the service, the Command moved to recover the said trucks and further investigation revealed that the fire trucks were leased out to some multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 per truck per day for initial period of 3 yrs.

“The intermediary company’s share was N80, 000 while the fire service officials’ share stood at N60, 000 per truck per day. The deal was done in 2021 and was expected to terminate by 2024.

“However, about two months to the expiration of the deal, the Command acted and recovered the vehicles. The four suspects arrested in the case will be charged to court soon, while the trucks will be released to the Government to continue to serve the good people of the state”.

The Commissioner of Police, who highlighted other breakthroughs recorded by the command within the period under review, said the Command arrested two in connection with vandalisation of transformers, six suspects arrested and convicted in connection with raping of a 13- years old girl for three years, while a Director in the Ministry of Justice, who was kidnapped, was also rescued.

Azare continued that operatives also arrested two suspects in connection with the vandalization of a transformer belonging to Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.

He said, “You may recall that during my first official visit to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the state, he decried the rising cases of vandalization of Public transformers and infrastructural facility across the state.

“We have, therefore, stepped up our efforts to nip the crime in the bud, by arresting the perpetrators of this act. Towards this end, we have arrested one Prosper Brownson Jim and one Uduak Sunday Benson for vandalization of a transformer belonging to Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.

“Transformer Oil valued at about N800, 000.00 was drained, and armored cables valued at about N3.5m were stolen”.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include transformer, Armored cable and items suspected to be Juju.

Speaking on the rescue of director in the state ministry of Justice, Azare said, “On December 2024, a distress call was received that a Director with the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, and his niece were kidnapped by five armed men.

“Our operatives in the Command immediately swung into action and busted the kidnappers’ den in a thick forest located within Ikot Ukpong Village, Abak Local Government.

“A thorough search was conducted within the forest, and the victims were rescued unharmed from an abandoned soak-away

“The victim’s car was also recovered by the police along Etinan Road where it had been abandoned”.

Christopher Tom, Uyo