Niger Delta

Bayelsa CDC Chairmen Laud Okilo’s Qualities

Published

1 year ago

November 27, 2023

Community Development Chairmen (CDC) in Bayelsa State, under the aegis of Bayelsa State CDC Chairmen Association (BYCDCCA), have eulogised a former Governor of the Rivers State, Late Chief Melford Obene Okilo, over his stand on shore protection.
Chairman of BYCDCCA, Engr. Kotor Omiloli, gave the praise, weekend, at the 2023 edition of the annual Wizogua (flood and erosion control) festival of the Otuokopti Community in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
In a paper title, “Okilo the Faculty”, Omiloli described the late Okilo, who was the first Executive Governor of the old Rivers State, as an uncommon leader.
He said, the late Okilo was an epitome of peace and humility, noting also that he was a total humanist whose legacies and impacts have continued to endure in the entire polity of the nation.
“Okilo led a consultative government. He never executed projects without first hearing from the community what they actually needed.
“He’s a servant leader, so you’ve to be smart enough to understand him, lest you’ll end up being served food and drinks by him while he was Governor in any event he attended”, he said.
The Tide learnt that the “Wisogua” is a memorial cultural festival held annually to commemorate shore embarkment project awarded and constructed in the community by the administration of Okilo between 1981 and 1982, bringing an end to the once perennial menace of flood and erosion which bedeviled the community.
Late Chief Okilo governed the Old Rivers State in the Second Republic, between 1979-1983.
The Tide which monitored the event reports that the three-day festival began on the 24th through 26th November, 2023 with the theme: “Maintenance, Repairs and consolidation of Okilo’s legacies”.
Activities which featured in the festival include traditional wrestling competition, inspection of the state of the old shore embarkment works in the community and a boat cruise.
In his welcome address, Acting Paramount Ruler of the Community, HRH Rescue Orisa Abi (Okpoti XV), said the festival was necessitated by the resolve of the late Chief Melford Okilo’s administration to bring socour to the plight of the community.
He stated that execution of the flood and erosion control contract which was awarded by Okilo brought an end to the threat faced by the community, hence the annual festival was initiated to immortalize the late sage.
“We call on the Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and good spirited individuals to come to the aid of the community as the old controlled erosion project has begun withering away in the Southern ends of the community.
“Where our strength as a community ends is to fill sand in bags and place in sections of the shorelines where the erosion menace has began to eat up again, but it hasn’t yielded any positive result”, the monarch said.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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.