TheNewsGuru

Tag: bayelsa

  • Goodluck Jonathan advises Nigeria’s next president on uniting the country

    Goodluck Jonathan advises Nigeria’s next president on uniting the country

    The immediate former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has advised the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi or whoever emerges the country’s president to please work on security and uniting the country.

    Jonathan made the comment on Friday when Peter Obi paid him a courtesy visit in his Otuoke home in Bayelsa state.

    Obi had visited the former president to seek for support in the forthcoming presidential elections in the country.

    The former president also said Nigerians must believe in the unity of the nation in order to move it forward.

    Taking to his verified Twitter handle, he wrote, “Today I received in audience members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the @NgLabour led by its presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

    “I reiterated that to move Nigeria forward, we all must see it as our own country and believe in the unity of the nation.

    “Whoever becomes the next president must work towards uniting the nation.

    “I also stressed on the need for a credible election and urged the Labour Party and all other parties and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully.”

  • 2023: Tinubu derides PDP, renames party, Poverty Development Party

    2023: Tinubu derides PDP, renames party, Poverty Development Party

    Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rechristened the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the Poverty Development Party of Nigeria.

    The APC flag-bearer made this disclosure in Bayelsa on Thursday while campaigning in the state.

    He said: “The Poverty Development Party (PDP), you know them, has collected your money since the creation of this state, and couldn’t provide the roads. Where is the job? I will create thousands of expert employment, technical hub to link you to the rest of the world.

    “For 24 years in government, they cannot point to one solid road. No road except the only one to get us here. We have to get our brooms to sweep them out in 2023.

    “Today, the youths are the new hope; their salvation is here in our party, development is back, happiness is here.

    ” We will be able to create jobs. Bayelsa is the most industrious and most blessed with mineral resources of the country but not well explored.

    “Tell them enough is enough. They lie too much. They blame everything on the Federal Government while they collect all the money. This is the broom revolution and we have to let us renew the hope of prosperity.”

  • Keep the Presidential Amnesty Programme going – Diri tells FG

    Keep the Presidential Amnesty Programme going – Diri tells FG

    Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Friday appealed to the Federal Government to jettison any plan to end the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), saying the programme is yet to achieve its objectives.

    Diri insisted that PAP is yet to achieve its mandate, saying even the disarmament phase of the scheme has not been fully realised as arms and ammunition are still in the wrong hands in the Niger Delta.

    The governor, who spoke when he received the Interim Administrator, PAP, retired Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu, in Government House, Yenagoa, warned that any attempt to shut down the programme would plunge the region into another round of unrest.

    He said: “The amnesty programme has three legs. The first is disarmament, a process, said to be completed; then the demobilisation leg and finally, the reintegration leg. On the issue of disarmament, can we completely convince ourselves that we have been able to completely disarm the Niger Delta of armaments in our region?

    “So while we are in the final stage of reintegration, you and I know that within our Niger Delta, we still have very many arms, non state actors are in possession of arms, well that has been said to be completed but I like to state clearly here that the process is not 100 per cent completed.

    “Now I will like to look more on the issue of reintegration. The reintegration is more like a continuous process of building human capacity and for you to continue to build human capacity, it follows that the amnesty programme must be on and I’m happy while listening to you that you have already taken that up.

    “It will be wrong for anybody at this point to bring the amnesty programme to a close. That will amount to being insensitive to what is going on in the region.”

    While acknowledging that the Federal Government has soft-pedalled in its decision to shut down the programme, Diri said the best gift the government could give to the Niger Delta people is to allow the continuity of PAP.

    The governor urged Ndiomu to deal with the challenges in the programme and write his name in gold,  insisting that the problems are huge enough to contemplate closing the scheme.

    “Let me use this opportunity of your courtesy call to call on the FG that the best thing and the best gift to the Niger Delta is to continue to support and keep the Presidential Amnesty Programme going.

    “As you have rightly stated, yes, there are challenges, but then the Amnesty programme has also recorded some degree of successes. Those challenges are the reasons our people keep coming and going. So, for me at every given opportunity, it is a time to write your name in gold and indeed, writing the name of your state, Bayelsa, in gold.

    “If you have come and found certain challenges, we know you have the capacity to confront those challenges. Whatever you can do to ensure that the Amnesty programme will continue to exist, please do them and let our people be the final beneficiaries of this programme,” Diri said.

    The governor called on Ndiomu to avoid the temptation of politicising the amnesty office, saying that before the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the people were one and the same.

    He said: “I’ve always reminded us that before APC and PDP, we were one and the same people. Those, who sacrificed their lives, like Boro did, didn’t do that for political reasons and therefore, I’ll like to call on you not to politicize the amnesty programme”.

    Diri observed that Ndiomu was the third person from Bayelsa to man the amnesty office and appealed to him to carry the state along in all his activities to avoid regrets.

    Diri frowned at the domiciling of the amnesty programme in Abuja and said his administration had donated a parcel of land to erect a befitting office for the scheme and bring it home.

    “The amnesty programme as it operates today is more of Abuja. It’s almost an alien programme to our people, except people who will visit your offices in Abuja and I’ll like to call on you to ensure that the headquarters of the amnesty programme is sited in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state. To this end, the state government has already donated a parcel of land for that purpose,” he said.

    Diri called for collaboration among the state government, the amnesty programme and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to avoid duplication of projects and programmes.

    On the ongoing clean-up of Ogoni, the governor noticed the snail-paced movement of the programme and reminded the federal government that many areas of the Niger Delta needed remediation.

    He said: “We have also been agitating that the clean-up in Niger Delta shouldn’t be for Ogoni alone. We all know that the whole environment of the Niger Delta has been polluted. Bayelsa is not an exception, so remedying our environment should be one of the key responsibilities that PAP should also look into in partnership with other ministries and agencies of government.

    On his part, Ndiomu solicited the support of the Bayelsa government for his administration.

    He said that he was poised to reform the amnesty programme to make it more impactful to the beneficiaries and results oriented.

  • Floods: Ijaw slams Humanitarian Affairs Minister’s comment, demands apology

    Floods: Ijaw slams Humanitarian Affairs Minister’s comment, demands apology

     

    The Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, on Friday, slammed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq that “Bayelsa State is not among 10 worst hit states affected by flood disaster, describing the remark as reckless and provocative.

    Recall that the Minister had said Bayelsa State, which is reeling under floods, was not among the 10 most hit states.

    She also said Jigawa State, which recorded the highest number of deaths and number one of the states was most affected by the disaster.

    But in a swift reaction by the coordinator of IMG, Mr Joseph Evah, the ijaw demanded an apology from the Federal Government without delay over the Minister’s comment.

    The statement reads: “If we were In a fair and just country, Bayelsa State should be number one among the 10 worst hit states because 99 percent of the state was submerged and the state capital was the only state capital that was cut-off from the rest of Nigeria. We wish to remind the minister that gone are the days when the Niger-Delta oil money will be used to find solution to the country’s problems, while the source of the funds are neglected with excuses.

    “The reason the minister, who made this provocative and embarrassing statement, in a federation has not been sacked within 72 hours is unacceptable.

    ” We expected what happened in advanced countries to happen here when a minister misbehaves in public.”

    He stated that since the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the people of Niger-Delta has not felt the impact of the ministry “because of the hostile attitude of the leadership of the ministry.”

    In addition, Eva said: “The National Assembly members from the Niger Delta should, as a matter of urgency, request for the sack of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs on the floor of Parliament for insulting our region and its people.”

    Source: Vanguard

  • BREAKING: INEC fixes date for Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa Gov polls

    BREAKING: INEC fixes date for Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa Gov polls

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi governorship polls for November 11, 2023.

    The Commission approved the timetable at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

    It fixed primary elections by parties for March 27 to April 17, 2023.

    According to a statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye: “This decision is in fulfillment of the requirement of Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which mandates the Commission to publish the Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the date fixed for the elections.

    “Similarly, Sections 178(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 mandates the Commission to conduct such elections not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of the last holder of the office”.

    It added: “The tenure of the incumbent Governor of Imo State ends on 14th January 2024 while those of Kogi and Beyelsa States end on 26th January 2024 and 13th February 2024 respectively.

    “Accordingly, the Commission has decided to conduct the three elections on Saturday 11th November 2023.

    “The statutory Notice for the elections will be published in the three States on 14th November 2022. Party primaries will be held from 27th March to 17th April 2023, while the online portal for the submission of nomination forms (EC9 and EC9B) by political parties opens at 9.00am on 24th April 2023 and closes at 6.00pm on 5th May 2023.

    “The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2023 while campaign by political parties commences on 14th June 2023 and ends at midnight on 9th November 2023.

    “The full Timetable and Schedule of Activities has been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms”.

  • Flooding: Nigeria’s out-of-school children increase by 1.5 million

    Flooding: Nigeria’s out-of-school children increase by 1.5 million

    Deadly floods have submerged communities in Nigeria, killed over 600 persons and displaced over a million people after the government failed to act on earlier warnings, posing a setback for the country’s education target as schools are forced to shutdown.

    The government of Anambra and Bayelsa states explained that the closure of both public and private schools became necessary to ensure the safety of schoolchildren.

    In June, the Nigerian government launched a Human Capital Development (HCD) strategic plan where it highlighted key targets for the education sector, including reducing the number of out-of-school-children by 70 per cent before 2030.

    The HCD strategy aims to promote a quality, inclusive and functional education system and build the capacity of youths to create or seek employment, as part of measures to address poverty and ensure participatory and sustainable economic growth.

    An investigation carried out by Thenewsguru.com (TNG) three months ago, reported that there were about 18.5 million out-of-school-children in Nigeria, but this figure has now increased by 1.5 million, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

    The new UNESCO data shows that 20 million out of the estimated 98 million out-of-school-children in sub-Saharan Africa, are in Nigeria, the highest in the region, leading countries like Ethiopia with 10.5 million, the Democratic Republic of Congo (5.9million) and Kenya (1.8million).

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) recently called off it eight months strike action, but may students are unable to resume school as a result of the floods which have blocked access roads and hiked cost of transportation.

    Students of the Federal University Otuoke, are yet to resume school more than one week after the strike was called off by ASUU, as a result of the flood which has affected major roads leading to the institution.

    In an internal memo signed by the Registrar
    Yousou Donal Iruo, sighted by our reporter, the school will be open for on-premises lectures on November 20th, even though lecturers have been directed to commence online interface with students via zoom.

    “Senate in its 80th (Emergency) Meeting took cognizance of the precarious in Bayelsa State and scheduled completion of 2020/2021 academic session.

    “Lecturers are directed to commence online interface with students (via Zoom) for completion of remaining lectures, project supervision and revision, pending the approved week of physical interaction and continuous assessment,” the notice stated.

    Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, directed the Minister of Water Resources to lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Environment and Transportation as well as State Governments to develop a Comprehensive Plan of Action for preventing future flood disaster within the next 90 days.

    The directive comes a day after an advocacy group, Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged the government to respond to the impacts of the flooding, and climate change.

    In a statement, SERAP expressed concern that years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of Ecological Fund and entrenched impunity of perpetrators have undermined the ability of governments to prevent the impact of flooding on the human rights of socio-economically vulnerable Nigerians, and to effectively respond to the problem.

    “Allegations of corruption and mismanagement have undermined the ability of authorities at all levels to invest in drainage systems, and to tackle soil erosion and climate change challenges across several parts of the country,” the statement said.

    The Nigerian Government has also been advised to explore Public Private Partnership, in the dredging of the two major rivers – Niger and Benue – in Nigeria and construction of dams that will mitigate the impact when excess water is released from Lagdo Dam in Cameron. resolving the perennial flooding disaster facing the country.

     

  • Flood sacks ex-president, Jonathan from his Otuoke home in Bayelsa

    Flood sacks ex-president, Jonathan from his Otuoke home in Bayelsa

    The immediate past president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan’s  Otuoke home  in Ogbia Local Government Area  of Bayelsa state has been overtaken by rampaging  flood.

    The governor of the state Duoye Diri during a visit to Otuoke on Friday,  lamented the level of destruction caused by what he described as an “attack by the natural disaster” on the livelihood of Bayelsans.

    Diri noted that Otuoke which is the host community to the Federal University in the state has been submerged and most of the locals including Jonathan, are displaced.

    The Governor further assured the people of the commitment of the State government to put in place machinery to provide relief materials and medical assistance to victims of the flood.

    While empathizing with Jonathan who he said is now also internally displaced as a result of the flood, the governor also visited the former president’s mother, Eunice Jonathan.

    Diri, however, solicited the help of well-meaning Bayelsans, corporate organisations and the federal government to enable the State overcome the present unfortunate situation.

    Flood has overtaken most part of the country in recent weeks due to change in climatic conditions and opening up of Dams in neighbouring countries.

  • Floods: Diri says 1m displaced, approves break for civil servants

    Floods: Diri says 1m displaced, approves break for civil servants

    Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Tuesday said that so far, one million residents have been displaced by the ravaging floods, indicating that the worrisome phenomenon has created a humanitarian crisis beyond the capacity of the state.

    The governor has announced a one-week break for civil servants except those on essential duties.

    Diri, who stated these in a radio broadcast, regretted that the state teaching hospital and two stated-owned universities have been forced by the floods to shut down.

    He empathised with the people and saluted their courageous disposition as they grapple with the natural disaster.

    The governor appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assist the state with grants from the ecological funds, adding that the sole access to the East-West road has been cut off on several points making road transport to Bayelsa impossible.

    NAN reports that public power supply has been cut as a safety measure as most distribution transformers and stations are already submerged.

    Also, fuel stations who have since run out of fuel are not able to bring in fuel by road, leaving residents to resort to illegal refineries which are being clamped down by the renewed fight against oil theft.

    The exorbitant cost of petrol which stands at between N700 and N800 for one liter has led to a more than 100 per cent increase in transport fares while small businesses, like barbers, have jerked up the cost of their services.

    The blockade caused by the flood has also triggered a general scarcity of food, manufactured products including beverages and medicines, forcing prices to hit the roof tops.

    The situation has also taken a negative toll on telecommunications services leading to limited data and voice services as many base stations have run out of fuel.

  • Bayelsa Gov, Diri cries out, says flood has also taken my house

    Bayelsa Gov, Diri cries out, says flood has also taken my house

     

     

    Nobody is spared as Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has lamented that his private building at Sampou Community in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of the state has been taken over by the ravaging flood in the state.

    Diri, who undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the flood situation in some communities, bemoaned the devastation of property and the hardship visited on people of the state by flood.

    The governor who was accompanied by the state Commissioner for Environment and chairman, Task Forceon Flood Mitigation and Management, Mr. Eselema Gbaranbiri, his Works and Information counterparts, Moses Teibowei, and Ayibaina Duba, respectively as well as other top government functionaries, visited communities submerged by the flood including, Tungbo, Sagbama town and Adagbabiri, all in Sagbama Local Government Area.

    While addressing the people the governor said he wanted to get first-hand knowledge of what the people and the communities were going through.

  • MILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER: Lyon denies being part of kidnap operations

    MILLIONAIRE KIDNAPPER: Lyon denies being part of kidnap operations

    A suspected millionaire kidnapper, John Ewa, alias John Lyon, terrorizing Bayelsa state but based in Abuja, has denied being part of kidnap operations, saying ” I was misled to show them where this person is”.

    The former banker (Lyon) was reportedly arrested by officers of Operation Puff Adder following the kidnap of Danjuma Emeije, a bank manager in Yenagoa, who was said to be his former boss.

    Emeije was reportedly kidnapped on June 30, 2022, and was released after paying 50 million naira as ransom.

    Lyon. who was paraded in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State by men of the Nigeria Police Force, is alleged to have been involved in the kidnap of several persons in Bayelsa.

    Speaking with journalists on Monday, Lyon said, “I’m not part of it (kidnap operations), I was misled to show them where this person is. I wasn’t involved in it.

    “I’m not in the (kidnap) business. I didn’t approach Danjuma, I only went there to open an account.”

    Lyon, 30, a native of Eruan community in Boki LGA of Cross River State, also spoke on his role in kidnapping another victim identified as Hakeem.

    “I didn’t play any role in Hakeem’s kidnap, I just showed them his house. We were driving and I pointed to the house. It was my former boss’s house, that was it,” he said.

    Suspected millionaire kidnapper, John Lyon denies being part of kidnap operations

    His alleged accomplice, identified as Emma, claimed that Lyon approached him and other gang members with the proposal to kidnap Hakeem and Danjuma.

    “He is lying. I didn’t give him money, it wasn’t me that gave him money. I don’t know those people from anywhere. He is the one that worked with them, I don’t know anything about them,” he said.

    Suspected millionaire kidnapper, John Lyon denies being part of kidnap operationsEmma responded: “He was the one that brought the Hakeem and Danjuma jobs. If anyone can reason, someone that brought a job would have more money than any other person, so why is he lying?

    “He brought the job, saying that they sacked him from work and they have money, so let’s kidnap them. Heaven knows I know nothing about those people.”

    Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Ben Okoli, has said the Abuja socialite (Lyon) was a cleaner at a new generation bank.

    Okoli stated this during the parade of Lyon and three other members of the kidnap syndicate.

    According to the police boss, Lyon and his gang were involved in the kidnap of top bankers, businessmen and prominent persons.

    He identified the leader of the kidnap gang as Emmanuel Angase, 37, a native of Azuzuama community, Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa.

    The CP said, “Angase operates a kidnapping camp at Sunikiri creek near Oluasiri in Nembe LGA with his second in command, one Gbalipre Gamage, now at large. Police operatives recovered a brand new Toyota Avalon he bought for his wife with the proceeds of ransom he collected.

    “The gang leader, Angase, has confessed that on 30th June 2022 at about 0600 hours, himself, John Ewa and others at large accosted Danjuma Omeje at the entrance of his house at Okaka, kidnap him and fled in a blue Toyota Corolla car with plate-number KJA 225 AY.

    “They took the victim to his camp at Sunikiri Oluasiri, and released him on 14th July 2022 after collecting N60m ransom. The suspect also confessed to the kidnap of Akeeb Oladele Olusola a banker and Nancy Keme Dickson, who was kidnapped on 26th December 2015. He also confessed to the kidnap of Chinonso Eze and other Igbo businessmen.

    “John Ewa, 30 years, aka John Lyon, a native of Eruan community in Boki LGA, Cross River State, known for flamboyant lifestyle on social media, a former cleaner with a new generation bank, confessed to have collected $10,000 (TenThousand US Dollars) from the ransom collected in the kidnap of Danjuma Omeje.

    “Innocent Kingsley, 31 years, a native of Egbu community Etche LGA, Rivers State. The owner of a Blue Toyota Corolla car with REG NO KJA 225 AY, and one Timi Werikumo ‘m’ 21 years, a native of Azuzuama community of Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa State.”

    On some of the gang’s alleged activities, Okoli said: “On 8th December, 2020 one Akeeb Oladele Olushola, male, 48, a Manager of a new generation bank was kidnapped at his residence at Old Commissioners’ Quarters, Opolo. He was released on the 12th December 2020 after paying a ransom of N80m.

    “Similarly, Danjuma Omeje, 41, a Manager of a new generation bank in Yenagoa was kidnapped at his residence at Okaka, Yenagoa, on 30th June, 2022. He was released on 14th July 2022 after paying a ransom of N60 million, N30m cash and US Dollars equivalent of N30m.”