Niger Delta
Bayelsa Tasks Parents On Involvement In Curbing Drug Abuse
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.
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“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
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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.
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.
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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