Niger Delta

Delta 2023: Okowa, Former Govs, Others Begin Talks On Guber Zoning

Published

3 years ago

January 24, 2022

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, former governors, Chief James Ibori, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and other leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, have commenced formal talks on zoning (rotation) or otherwise of the party’s 2023 governorship ticket.
They opened formal discussions on the touchy matter, last Friday night, at a caucus meeting of Delta PDP leaders, an event that preceded weekend’s mega rally of the party at which a former state chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, and thousands of APC faithful across the wards, local government areas of the state , decamped to PDP.
However, after the first round of deliberations on zoning, the only matter laid on the table by the state chairman, Chief Kingsley Esiso, for the caucus to take a decision, the party deferred the discussions to a later date.
Senator James Manager representing Delta-South senatorial district, a governorship aspirant of Ijaw ethnic extraction, sturdily opposed zoning of the party’s 2023 governorship and found support in a former state chairman of the party, Chief Edwin Uzor and Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, also Ijaw and gunning for governor.
“Senator Manager was emphatic that the party had never zoned governorship in the state since formation and no matter the situation, Ijaw would contest PDP governorship ticket in 2023. The deputy governor adopted the same position,” a Delta PDP caucus member, who attended the meeting told Vanguard.
It was gathered that former female governorship aspirant and member, Board of Trustees, PDP, Dame Dr. Esther Uduehi and Senator Stella Omu spoke in favour of zoning of the party’s governorship ticket and commencement from Delta Central senatorial district in 2023.
“In fact, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, slammed those opposed to zoning and asked leaders of Delta Central to put their house in order just as Governor Okowa has put his house in order in Delta North senatorial district.
“Former Minister of State for Defence, Dr Roland Oritsejafor, insisted that zoning has brought stability and peace to the party and should be embraced by the party. ”Also, former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, Deputy National Organising Secretary of the party and Chairman, Delta Central, DC-23 lobby group, Chief IghoyotaAmori, also spoke on the matter, of course supporting rotation of governorship to Central senatorial district in 2023.
“Former governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan stressed the need to take decision on zoning of 2023 governorship ticket of the party quickly so that some of the governorship aspirants already campaigning would know their bearing and whether to call it quit, not after expending huge fortune on campaigns.
“His predecessor, Chief James Ibori, sued for understanding, patience and working together of members of the party to achieve greater result,” a source confided in our source.
We gathered decision would have been taken on the matter, last Friday, but for Governor Okowa, who said the leaders should not be in a hurry on the issue and consequently ruled that further deliberations on it be deferred to the shortest possible time for a fuller caucus to thrash it out.
“You know that in such a meeting, when the governor has ruled on a matter, nobody speaks on it again, which was where it ended until me meet another time,” our source added.

Niger Delta

Bayelsa Charges Environment Ministry To End Bush Burning

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

The Tide

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.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders Caution Delta Over Propose Mangrove Forest Sale

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

The Tide

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.

Niger Delta

Eno Recommits To Accountability, Effective Service Delivery

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

The Tide

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.