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Engage Violence-Free Approach In Quest For Equity, Justice, Fubara Tells IYC
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has counselled members of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to ensure they adopt violence-free approaches in their quest to achieve equity, justice, and fair share of the distributable resources found in the Niger Delta region.
Governor Fubara gave the advise when the President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Dr. Alaye Tari Theophilus, led a delegation of leaders and members of the group on Solidarity Walk to Government House in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
The leadership of the IYC also conferred on Governor Fubara the prestigious honour by naming him the Grassroots-General of Ijaw Nation.
Speaking, the Governor hailed the youths for their commitment to upholding and furthering the contributions made by the foremost rights advocate of the Niger Delta region, Isaac Adaka Boro, who fought until his dying days seeking justice for the region.
Governor Fubara said while no person can stifle people of the region from speaking out against perceived or real marginalisation, they must not resort to destruction of valuable national assets.
The Governor warned that he will not tolerate or support anything that will either disgrace Rivers State or embarrass the Federal Government from any group of people in the State.
Governor Fubara explained that if the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Federal Government are tackled for perpetrating marginalisation and environmental pollution, the people of the region must not exacerbate the situation by vandalising oil pipelines that also impact the environment negatively.
He said: “Violence does not solve problems. That’s the truth. We must all walk together, join hands together to give ourselves that thing that we want. So, I will appeal to you, your message will be transmitted to Mr President. But while we are doing that, you must be law-abiding.
“There should not be any vandalisation of our oil pipelines. It is not the white men that are coming to do it. It is you, our people doing it. So, we need to discourage ourselves from it. We need to encourage ourselves to support the government. When production is high, revenue will increase, those demands you are making will be met. The local governments and the states will get more amenities for you, jobs will be created, more money will be in your pockets,” he added.
In his speech, President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Dr. Alaye Tari Theophilus, said IYC is 26 years and has remained committed to seeking desirable attention and addressing the many economic, political and environmental injustice metted to the region.
Dr Theophilus listed some of their requests to include, increase of 13% derivation to 50per cent, backed by an Executive Bill; remediation of Ijaw land of oil exploration activities are to continue, and inclusion of greater number of Ijaw people in mainstream governance at the Federal Government level and in oil sector governance.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.