Niger Delta

Bayelsa Residents Draw Attention To Coastal Communities

Published

8 years ago

March 31, 2017

Some residents of Bayelsa have appealed to government at all levels to extend socio-economic developmental to the water transportation sector as a critical aspect of national growth, especially for coastal communities.
The residents made the appeal in separate interviews newsmen in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
According to the residents, the development of water transportation, especially within the coastal states can sustain socio-economic activities and job creation for residents and the country at large.
The Tide’s source correspondent, who visited some communities in Bayelsa observed that water remained a major means of transporting human, goods and services in the state.
Bayelsa is a predominantly riverine state as a large percentage of settlements can only be accessed by river.
Out of the eight local government areas of the state, only four including Yenagoa, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and some communities in Sagbama can be accessed by road.
Our correspondent visited communities like Ukubie, Okpotuwari, Ondewari, Oweikorohga and Otuanin Southern-Ijaw local government areas for their opinions on water transportation.
Other communities where residents expressed their views on water transportation were Ofoni, Ayamasa and Toruebini in Sagbama area of Bayelsa.
Mr Elijah Efamughe, a Chief in Ukubie community, Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area, said that the challenges posed by water transportation were worrisome.
Efamughe stressed the importance of water transportation to the development of waterlogged communities, saying their lives would be made easier and better.
He said that the ancient Ukubie community, one of the major oil producing communities in Bayelsa, had been suffering from neglect in terms of infrastructure including access roads, portable water and functional hospital.
Efamughe said that the transportation of goods and services were done on weekly basis through the popular big boat called “the house boat”.
According to Efamughe, house boats are few in the area leading to situations where residents only travel when there are in serious need to do so.
“My people also need access roads and bridges like those in Lagos and other coastal states; we hardly travel to the city due to lack of transport and you know water transport is very costly.
“Sometimes, our farm produce get spoilt because of lack of means to transport them.
“We want roads and bridges to our communities. When there is road, the standard and cost of living will be better. When there is road, everything around us will begin to breathe fresh air.
“We want the three tiers of government to come to our aid to develop water transport and construct roads not only to Ukubie but to other coastal communities.”
Efamughe said that residents pay N3, 500 for water transport from Ukubie to the Yenagoa by a speed boat, a journey of less than 30 minutes by road.
“Just imagine how much it will cost to transport goods in the community. It has even increased the cost of a bag of sachet water to N200.
“Half rubber of garri is sold for N500, while the big rubber is sells between N1, 500 and N1, 800 in Bayelsa,” Efamughe said.

Niger Delta

RSBOPP Moves To Review Procurement Processes

Published

2 days ago

January 22, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RSBOPP), says efforts are being made to strengthen the existing procurement processes leading to the award of contracts and jobs execution in the state to enhance service delivery.

The Board chairman of the RSBOPP, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in his office in Port Harcourt, after a meeting with staff of the agency, last Friday.

Oko-Jaja who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stated that procurement had become a global issue, stressing that without a proper procurement plan, it would be difficult for any state or nation to move forward in the attainment of its developmental strategies and goals.

The chairman said that the Board had observed some improprieties in the procurement processes and assured that they would take every measure to ensure full compliance with the state procurement laws.

“We will ensure that the laws are followed and we have value for money. We must ensure that money is used for contract execution and not to enrich people’s pockets. We’ll ensure that the money being quoted for any job or contract corresponds with the prevailing market price. We are going to strengthen the monitoring and evaluating team of the Board to perform their duties; going to markets, verify the prices quoted for and also ensure compliance.

“We are going to look into the procurement laws to see how we can close the existing gaps noticed that are not in line with global practices. These measures will also affect local government councils in the state to ensure there is value for money and save money for the state government. And in doing so, the government can spread its services across the state and not in one place.

“His Excellency, the governor of the state has a mantra, “Rivers first”. We are going to ensure we assist him and the state government achieve this policy by ensuring that the procurement laws are complied with and things are done rightly. That is why we are here,” he said.

Oko-Jaja assured that members of the Board would justify the confidence reposed in them by the state governor for the benefit of the state.

Earlier, in an interactive meeting between Board members and staff of the agency, the Board chairman of RSBOPP told the excited workforce that the Board had approved the merger of some departments, namely Legal, Ethics Human Resources and the Facility Management departments to ensure maximum output and efficiency in service delivery.

He said that the Legal and Ethics departments had been merged as one department, adding the Human Resources and Facility Management departments had also been merged.

He told them that going forward every department would also be accountable for its responsibility and announced that the Board had also approved that conditions of service should be put in place for the staff of the agency so that they would grow like their counterparts in the state mainstream civil service.

Akujobi Amadi

Niger Delta

You Have Our Ears, Fubara Assures Civil Servants

Published

2 days ago

January 22, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government says it would continue to address the needs of Civil Servants in the State.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara stated this during the Rivers State Civil Service 2025 New Year Thanksgiving Service, at the State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt, last Friday.

Speaking through his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said his Administration is willing and ready to do what will make Civil Servants happy, more hardworking, and more distinguished.

“I want to tell you that you have our ears, and you can tell because when the Head of Service gave his address, there were no demands because while you were yet asking, it was already executed. We want you to know that to whom much is given, much is expected. We do not take your love and support for granted.” Governor Fubara stressed.

The State Chief Executive urged Civil Servants to redouble and rekindle their energy to ensure that the Rivers State Civil Service becomes the envy of Civil Service in Nigeria, noting that the State Government is pleased to work as a family with Civil Servants.

He implored them to continue to uphold his Administration in prayers, which according to him has kept him thus far, adding that prayers would lead them for years to come while asking them to be proud of whom they are as Civil Servants.

In his address, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nweke, expressed gratitude to Governor Fubara for the implementation of the enhanced minimum wage, payment of Christmas bonus, improved retirement benefits, and creation of employment opportunities amongst others, as well as issuance of SME loans facility to deserving Civil Servants in the State.

Dr Nweke who said the theme of this year’s thanksgiving “Peace Be Still” reminds us that even amid turmoil and uncertainties you can find peace and calm in God’s presence while urging them to pray for continuous peace and development in the State.

In his sermon, the Dean Church of God, Anglican Communion, the Most. Rev. Blessing Enyindah who spoke on the theme “Peace Be Still” drawn from Mark 4:35-41, said storms of life may manifest in different ways and forms, causing us anxiety and sleepless nights but with Jesus Christ by our side, there is hope.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Police Nabs 4 Fire Service Trucks Theft

Published

1 week ago

January 17, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, has arrested four suspects who are allegedly involved in the theft of four Fire Service trucks belonging to the state Fire Service.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Muhammed Azare, disclosed this during a Press briefing held at the Command’s headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia in Uyo, said the suspects were arrested following credible information that the trucks were stolen and heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Azare said, “Based on credible information from a good samaritan that 4 of the state Fire Service trucks were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, River State, by some officials of the service, the Command moved to recover the said trucks and further investigation revealed that the fire trucks were leased out to some multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 per truck per day for initial period of 3 yrs.

“The intermediary company’s share was N80, 000 while the fire service officials’ share stood at N60, 000 per truck per day. The deal was done in 2021 and was expected to terminate by 2024.

“However, about two months to the expiration of the deal, the Command acted and recovered the vehicles. The four suspects arrested in the case will be charged to court soon, while the trucks will be released to the Government to continue to serve the good people of the state”.

The Commissioner of Police, who highlighted other breakthroughs recorded by the command within the period under review, said the Command arrested two in connection with vandalisation of transformers, six suspects arrested and convicted in connection with raping of a 13- years old girl for three years, while a Director in the Ministry of Justice, who was kidnapped, was also rescued.

Azare continued that operatives also arrested two suspects in connection with the vandalization of a transformer belonging to Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.

He said, “You may recall that during my first official visit to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the state, he decried the rising cases of vandalization of Public transformers and infrastructural facility across the state.

“We have, therefore, stepped up our efforts to nip the crime in the bud, by arresting the perpetrators of this act. Towards this end, we have arrested one Prosper Brownson Jim and one Uduak Sunday Benson for vandalization of a transformer belonging to Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.

“Transformer Oil valued at about N800, 000.00 was drained, and armored cables valued at about N3.5m were stolen”.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include transformer, Armored cable and items suspected to be Juju.

Speaking on the rescue of director in the state ministry of Justice, Azare said, “On December 2024, a distress call was received that a Director with the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, and his niece were kidnapped by five armed men.

“Our operatives in the Command immediately swung into action and busted the kidnappers’ den in a thick forest located within Ikot Ukpong Village, Abak Local Government.

“A thorough search was conducted within the forest, and the victims were rescued unharmed from an abandoned soak-away

“The victim’s car was also recovered by the police along Etinan Road where it had been abandoned”.

Christopher Tom, Uyo