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Bayelsa Supports Accountants, Civil Servants On Professional Training

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The Bayelsa State Government has restated its commitment to the professional training and development of accountants and other categories of civil servants in the state’sCivil Service to promote efficiency and productivity.
Deputy Governor of the state, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the recommitment recently during a joint courtesy call by the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), and the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (YECCIMA) in Government House, Yenagoa.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, the state number two citizen noted that government employees needed continuous training to be able to do their jobs well and achieve better service delivery in the state.
He said the State Government had always taken the issue of training civil servants seriously, hence it had always given approvals to applications by its employees properly channeled through relevant agencies, for participation in the mandatory professional training programmes.
On the take-off of the proposed ANAN Training College at Sampou, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, the Deputy Governor assured the ANAN delegation that the State Government would do everything at its disposal to actualize it.
According to him, Bayelsa could not afford to fritter away the opportunity of establishing the ANAN Training College in the state, which would create job opportunities, as well as make it much easier for young accounting graduates from the state to get professional certification.
“As a government, we have always approved applications for ANAN training programmes, and for other civil servants in the employment of the state government. They need the training to give better performance, hence we take training very seriously.
“On the issue of the Training College, I’ll relate the message to my boss, the Governor. We really can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity because of the career opportunities it would provide for young accounting graduates”, he stated.
Responding to some of the issues raised by YECCIMA, the Deputy Governor assured its members that the present administration would support the organization to stimulate organized private sector participation in the local economy.
He noted that over dependence of the people on the government for everything ranging from contracts, jobs to employment opportunities was impeding the economic and industrial development of the state, pledging to support the formal launch of the YECCIMA Cooperative Society in Yenagoa which is aimed at promoting the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as engender commercial and economic activities in the state.
”We’ll rally round YECCIMA. There’s need for us to do more for the organized private sector in Bayelsa State.
“The current over dependence on the formal sector or government, with less focus on the organized private sector is actually impeding the development of our state, and we need to correct it”, he said.
Speaking earlier, the National President, ANAN, Dr James Neminebor, said the visit was intended to brief the Deputy Governor on ANAN’s local, national and international training programmes lined up for 2024 and to solicit support from the State Government.
Dr. Neminebor, who is also the President of the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, appreciated government for supporting the professional training for ANAN members in the civil service, and appealed to government to fulfill its promise towards the establishment of the ANAN Training College in the state.
The ANAN and YECCIMA boss also appealed for support towards the launching of the YECCIMA Cooperative Society slated for this weekend in Yenagoa.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa

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Niger Delta

Bayelsa Charges Environment Ministry To  End Bush Burning

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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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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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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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