TheNewsGuru

Tag: Delta State

  • Asaba airport excites Gov. Okowa, NFF President

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has described the first international flight into the Asaba International Airport as momentous as it brought back the Super Eagles from South Africa after qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    Governor Okowa described the moment thus while receiving the Super Eagles on arrival at the Asaba International Airport after their qualifying match for AFCON with the Bafana Bafana football club of South Africa.

    Governor Okowa who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Hon. Tam Brisibe, stated, “this is momentous bearing in mind that the flight successfully took the Super Eagles to South Africa and came back without hitches.

    “It is more gratifying to note that the Super Eagles trained at the Stephen Keshi Stadium before leaving for South Africa through the Asaba Airport; they went to South Africa and qualified for Cameroon 2019”.

    He further stated that “the principal thing was qualifying for Cameroon and by God’s grace, we have qualified for AFCON, we congratulate the Super Eagles for making Nigeria proud”.

    President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Pinnick Amaju said he was excited that FIFA has approved the Stephen Keshi Stadium for international football championship, adding that it was a thing of pride for the Super Eagles to travel through the Asaba International Airport.

    “When it was announced yesterday (Saturday) that we are boarding and flying to Asaba, it gave me great joy, it shows that God rules supreme in Delta State, we have qualified for AFCON and we are going to Cameroon to make great impact,” Mr Amaju said, emphasising, “on behalf of NFF, I thank the Governor and the good people of Delta State for their show of enthusiasm since the Super Eagles came, that stadium is wonderful and the Super Eagles will beat Uganda in their friendly match, remember that the Ugandan Team has also qualified for AFCON”.

    Special Project Director of Asaba International Airport, Chief Austin Ayomedejo, in an encounter, said, “I feel excited, we give God the glory for using the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to achieve this great fit; what is more important is that we have been upgraded to Category C airport, which allows bigger aircraft to land”.

     

  • Police uncovers gun factory in Delta

    Officers and men attached to the Eagle-Net Special Squad under the Delta State Police Command have uncovered of a gun factory in Oleh town, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state.

    Two persons, one Isaac Uroleh, 55, in company of another suspect, one Goodluck Ivivie, 53, were both arrested at the scene of crime during the invasion by the squad.

    Items recovered include; 29 Single barrels, 15 Expended Cartridges and four live Cartridges as well as sophisticated instruments used in the manufacturing of guns were recovered at the scene.

    Investigations carried out by Daily Sun revealed that the hideout location of the gun factory; No 5, Etoo Street, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta state had been a bee hive of activities to strangers from neighboring states and towns who visits regularly to purchase the guns.

    Sources disclosed that the age range of those who comes to buy the locally made guns are usually between 19 – 28 years and it has been discovered they mostly under graduates of higher institutions close to the area who are mostly cultists.

    Other customers to the factory according to Sources were teenagers who are either members of cult groups in secondary schools or members of local cults operating within the community.

    It was learnt that the men and officers of the Eagle-Net Special Squad under the state police command, ably led by DSP Usman Dimka, acted on intelligence gathering to discover the factory.

    It was reported that he and his team stormed the hideout at about 2pm on Tuesday (November 13, 2018) to put an end to the illicit business that had been going on the community for years.

    Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, stated that the arrested suspects were currently being detained at the police headquarters, Asaba.

    He explained that investigations had commenced to case and more arrest are likely to be made before all the suspects are charged to court.

  • Delta health ministry proposes N8.6bn for 2019 fiscal year

    The Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr Ononye Mordi, says the ministry is proposing the sum of N8.6 billion expenditure for the 2019 fiscal year.

    Mordi disclosed this on Monday in Asaba during the 2019 budget defence meeting with the state House of Assembly Committee on Health.

    The commissioner, who appeared before the committee with the heads of parastatals under the ministry, said the proposed budget would enable government to provide more quality and affordable healthcare to the people.

    He said that the state government was working tirelessly to provide solid health infrastructure across the state.

    Mordi said infrastructure was key to providing quality healthcare to the people, hence government proposed N363 million for the renovation and completion of healthcare centres.

    The commissioner noted that N1.7 billion was set aside for the renovation and expansion of existing hospitals across the state, as well as remodeling and rehabilitation of the Eku Baptist Hospital.

    “The sum of N45 million is also proposed for the maternal and child care centre at Warri and Ekpan.

    “The sum of N232 million is proposed for the upgrading of four central hospitals to specialists hospitals at Warri, Ughelli, Agbor and Sapele,’’ he said.

    Mordi said that the construction of the Asaba Central Hospital would gulp N840.7 million, while N10 million was proposed for the renovation of Government Hospital, Ojobo, Burutu Local Government Area.

    “We are also proposing N50 million for equipping the state Specialists Hospital, Oghara, and N50 million for the Specialist Hospital library, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state,’’ he said.

    He further said efforts were on to strengthen the State Agency for the Control of Aids (SACA) with N37 million in 2019.

    The commissioner added that N1.2 billion would be for contributory health insurance scheme, while N124 million would go into disease control and management of infectious disease outbreak.

    Mordi noted that the state secretariat clinic would receive a boost in 2019 as N5 million has been proposed for its construction and equipping.

    Responding, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Dr Alphonsus Ojo, stressed the need for the people to have access to quality and affordable healthcare in all government health institutions in the state.

    Ojo said, “health is wealth, hence all hands must be on deck to implement the lofty programmes of Okowa administration in the health sector.”

    The lawmaker urged all parastatals under the ministry to live up to expectation and gave the assurance that the committee would look into the proposed estimates of the ministry in order to achieve their targets.

     

  • Voters Register: Delta INEC asks people with claims to present evidence

    Voters Register: Delta INEC asks people with claims to present evidence

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta has urged persons with claims regarding the displayed voters register to come forward with evidence.

    The State Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, made the call in on Monday in Asaba, while hearing the claims and objections that arose from the display of the voters register.

    The commission had on Sunday held a similar hearing in Agbor when the two-day exercise started.

    Oriaran-Anthony said that the claims could be looked into and rectified but that there were legal approaches to effecting objections.

    She said that before objection could be effected, the person raising the objection should have concrete evidence or proof that a person’s name should be expunged.

    She noted that the commission needed evidence, saying that it was not enough for a person to come forward and demand that a registered voter was dead and therefore his or her name should be expunged.

    Oriran-Anthony said that the person should come forward with a death certificate, affidavit or attestation from a community leader that such person was dead.

    The administrative secretary said that the commission did not want a situation whereby a person’s name was expunged due to objection and such fellow turns up tomorrow.

    She advised the electorate to come forward to check their names and make the necessary corrections.

    Oriaran-Anthony also cautioned them against last minute rush.

     

  • Tabai crowned king after losing 8 siblings to barbaric tradition

    Delta State Government on Saturday presented staff of office to HRM Francis Fedode Tabai as the traditional ruler of Tuomo clan in Burutu Local Government Area of the State.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports at the presentation ceremony, the story was told of how the Tuomo traditional ruler lost 8 siblings to the barbaric tradition of the killing of twins.

    According to the narrative, mother of HRM Tabai had two sets of twins before his birth. Tabai was a single birth. After him, the mother had two more sets of twins. All the sets of twins were thrown into the high sea to drown within hours of being born.

    “As the story was being told at the ceremony yesterday, people developed goose pimples even under the hot sun,” former Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was present at the ceremony, said.

    “I was imagining what those children would have become today. Happily we were told that a few years after that, it took a bold and courageous headmaster a lot of energy and determination to stop the killing of twins in that area,” Uduaghan, who described Tabai as his friend and elder, added.

    According to the Delta State former Governor, at 76 years, Tabai has already achieved a lot in life, at Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta states, and the Federal levels.

    “All these achievements were under his control. HRM Rt Justice Tabai has a very rich CV. Something was however, not under his control. He is an only child, having lost 8 siblings to the then cruel “customs and traditions”. Like several traditions in our communities back then, twin children were murdered.

    “Today, there are still several customs and traditions that have to be stopped. HRM Rt. Justice F. F. Tabai and his colleagues must be bold enough to stop them. One that must be stopped immediately is female circumcision.

    “Congratulations HRM. You started life as a victim of tradition. At well over 76 years, you are back to take control of customs and traditions. I wish you a long and successful reign,” Uduaghan stated.

     

  • Gov. Okowa submits name of commissioner nominee to Delta Assembly

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has forwarded to the State House of Assembly the name of Mr Joseph Utomi, for appointment as Commissioner and member of the State Executive Council.

    A letter stating the name of the nominee was read during plenary of the Assembly in Asaba by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori.

    Okowa said that the nomination was in line with the power conferred on him by section 192, sub section 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Receiving the letter for consideration, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Tim Owhefere, moved the motion which was seconded by the lawmaker representing Aniocha South Constituency in the state Assembly, Ms Angela Nwaka.

    Consequently, the motion was unanimously adopted by the Assembly when put to a voice vote by the speaker.

    The speaker directed the nominee to submit 35 copies of his curriculum vitae to the office of the Clerk of the House and also appear before the Assembly for screening and confirmation on Nov. 13.

    The nominee is a former Council Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

     

  • 2019: Strategies in place for free, fair election in Delta – INEC

    2019: Strategies in place for free, fair election in Delta – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission in Delta says it has put strategies in place to conduct free and fair election come 2019.

    The state Administrative Secretary, Mrs RoseOriaran-Anthony, made the assertion in Agbor, Delta on Wednesday while monitoring the displayed voters register.

    Oriaran-Anthony said that monitoring of the voters register was one of the strategies that had been put in place to ensure a free and fair election.

    She said that at the end of the display by Nov. 12, the commission expected to have a clean register.

    The secretary said that the purpose of monitoring the display of the voters register was to ensure that people were actually coming out to check for data capturing error and for claims and objections.

    She said that the turnout was impressive but the commission expected a more robust turnout as time goes on.

    Oriaran-Anthony advised the electorate to check for any name that was not on the register as well as dead persons, underage persons and non-Nigerians.

    She said the electorates should come forward with claims and objections on these categories of persons and for their names to be expunged from the register.

     

  • Delta Police confirm abduction of Catholic priest, 1 suspect arrested

    The Delta Commissioner of Police (CP), Muhammad Mustafa, has confirmed the alleged abduction of a Catholic Priest, Very Rev. Father Emmanuel Obadjere, alongside three others in Delta.

    The police boss gave the confirmation on Wednesday when newsmen contacted him on his cell phone in Warri.

    According to him, the police are working hard to rescue the victims, adding that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the crime within the area where the incident happened.

    The victims were alleged to have been kidnapped on Tuesday on their way to Ekpoma in Edo.

    “The kidnappers have started calling, but you know, we do not encourage paying ransom.

    “We will definitely ensure that they are released. One suspect has been arrested within the area of the incident, ” the CP said.

    A reliable source said that the priest was in charge of St. Williams Catholic Church, Orerokpe, the administrative headquarters of Okpe Local Government area of Delta.

    The source added that the kidnappers had established contact with the Catholic Church and including the family members of the victims.

     

  • Uduaghan mourns Odogwu

    Uduaghan mourns Odogwu

    A former Delta Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has commiserated with the family of late Chief Sunny Odogwu over the death of the business icon, describing it as a monumental loss to Delta and Nigeria.

    Uduaghan told newsmen in Warri on Wednesday through his Media Assistant, Mr Monoyo Edon, that the late Odogwu was always providing useful ideas geared toward moving the state forward.

    The former governor said that he also had the opportunity of tapping from Odogwu’s global experience in business.

    He extolled the humility of the late philanthropist and industrialist, saying that in spite of his global connections, he returned home and was made a prominent traditional chief in Asaba (Ide Ahaba of Asaba).

    “I received with a heavy heart the news of the passage of a renowned businessman, philanthropist and industrialist, Odogwu.

    “Odogwu, like many other great businessmen who hail from Delta, brought pride to the people of the state.

    “His death is a great loss to our dear state, Delta, Nigeria and personally to me, who had the opportunity of tapping from his global experience in business.

    “He was very committed to the development of Delta and Nigeria and provided insightful suggestions and ideas that moved the state forward.

    “Whenever I called on him as a governor, he will always give me that listening ear and support,’’ Uduaghan said.

    According to him, throughout the period of the construction of the Ultra-modern Government House, Asaba, he visited the site regularly.

    “On the first day he landed at Asaba Airport from Lagos, he drove to my office and said, `Thank you governor. I never expected that I will land with a plane into Asaba in my lifetime’.

    “In my early years in government, he prepared my mind to what I was going to experience in Asaba. I was therefore not taken unaware when some of those things started happening,’’ he said.

    Uduaghan said Odogwu brought innovations into the Nigeria’s business circle through his vast knowledge in commerce.

    “On behalf of my family, I mourn with the Odogwus, the Asagba of Asaba, Asaba Traditional Council of Chiefs and the entire Anioma Nation for this painful loss. May his soul Rest In Peace. Amen, ‘’ he said.

    The elder statesman died on Nov. 5 at the age of 87.

     

  • Delta Assembly expresses concern over irregularities in MDAs budgets

    The Delta House of Assembly on Wednesday expressed concern over irregularities in the documentations of budget performances of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

    The Chairman House Committee on Commerce and Industry, Mr Festus Okoh, made the remark during 2019 budget defence meeting with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Asaba.

    Okoh observed that the figures presented before the committee on personnel expenditure of the ministry were not congruent with that of the state government.

    He therefore, stressed the need for the commissioner in charge of the ministry and her team to go back and effect the necessary corrections in the documents earlier presented to the committee.

    Earlier, the Commissioner, Mrs Mary Iyasere, had commended the committee for the opportunity provided to the ministry to defend its 2019 budget proposal.

    Iyasere agreed that the figures presented were wrong and apologised and promised to effect necessary corrections.

    The Executive Secretary, State Micro Credit, Mrs Shimite Bello, who also appeared before the committee, suffered the same fate as the relevant documents for the budget defence were not readily available.

    The Chairman of the committee directed the officials to go back and perfect their documents for proper presentation.