TheNewsGuru

Tag: Delta State

  • 24 dead, properties worth N13.2bn lost in Delta fire outbreak

    At least 24 persons died while 176 were rescued in the fire outbreaks which occurred in Delta between May 2015 and April 2018.

    Mr Ernest Ogwezzy, the state Commissioner in charge of Directorate of the Bureau for Special Duties disclosed this in Asaba on Monday at an annual news conference of the bureau.

    He said property worth N13.2 billion was also lost to fire outbreaks while the Delta Fire Service saved property worth N8.3 billion during the period.

    He highlighted some of the notable incidents to include that of Anioma Petrol Station, Okpanam Road, Asaba and the one that occurred at the College of Education Cooperative Filling Station, Warri.

    “Others are the fire at Beta Glass factory in Ughelli and the one at the Sapele Main Market which occurred on Oct. 13, 2017,’’ he said.

    The commissioner said “the fire statistics also showed that the state fire service attended to794 fire calls, out of which 63 were false calls.”

    Ogwezzy siad the bureau generated N53 million as revenue through the issuance and renewal of fire safety certificates to petrol and gas stations, industries and other business premises during the period.

    He said the State Government recently approved an insurance cover of N10 million yearly for all personnel of the service and N49 million for the procurement of firefighting equipment and accessories.

    The commissioner said that N41.1 million had been approved for the renovation of the Kwale, Issele-Uku, Agbor and Ugwashi-Uku fire service stations and the contractors would soon be mobilised.

    Ogwezzy said that N15.3 was approved for uniform and kits for the staff while N10 6 million was also approved for the construction of water hydrant/boreholes at the event centre in Asaba.

    The commissioner said that this was in the event of death, temporal and permanent disabilities that might occur in the course of their duties.

    He also said that the bureau through its State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) inspected over 115 cases of fires, 60 cases of rainstorm and over 2,500 cases of flood disasters across the state.

    The commissioner also said that the bureau, through SEMA, distributed relief materials to victims of rainstorms, fire disasters and flood across the state.

    “The agency was able to assist a total of 94 fire disaster victims across the state with the sum of N8.1 million.

    “The sum of N4.2 million was given to 53 victims of rainstorm disasters in Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state,’’ he said.

     

  • Omo-Agege: Taiga urges Senate to discontinue appeal

    Omo-Agege: Taiga urges Senate to discontinue appeal

    The President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Olorogun Moses Taiga, has urged the Nigerian Senate to discontinue its appeal against the victory of the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege.

    This is coming even as Olorogun Taiga congratulated Senator Omo-Agege on his victory, saying it was not only a victory for the Senator alone, but the entire Urhobo nation.

    TheNewsGuru reports the Senate filed a notice of appeal and a stay of execution on a High Court judgement nullifying the suspension of Senator Omo-Agege at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

    The Federal High Court in Abuja had nullified the suspension of the Delta Central Senator by the Senate describing the action as unconstitutional, after the Senator instituted a suit challenging his suspension.

    Taiga, while speaking with newsmen at the weekend, said the Urhobo nation was being denied representation at the red chambers and that there is an urgent need for the leadership of the Senate, especially Senate President Bukola Saraki to see to it that Senator Omo-Agege is immediately recalled to take his rightful place in the upper chambers.

    Omo-Agege was suspended for 90 days by the Senate after he accused his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buhari by amending the electoral act.

    The Senate said the suspension was not because of Omo-Agege’s comments on the election re-oreder but for his move of approaching the court over the matter.

    Nullifying the suspension of the Delta Central Senator, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba held that while the National Assembly had the power to discipline its erring members, the premise on which Omo-Agege’s suspension was anchored was illegal.

     

  • Unity list: Delta APC chieftain reacts

    Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta state, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has described the local government council congress held across Delta state on Saturday 12 May, 2018 as peaceful, saying that the success recorded during the congress was a result of the agreed ‘unity list’.

    Emerhor, who made this known after he voted at the Ughelli North local government area secretariat of the APC, said the reason for the peaceful congress was because they reconciled themselves and had a unity list of party executives that covered all interest.

    He stated further that their coming to the secretariat was to affirm the reconciled unity list. “What we are doing here is also happening across other local government areas in the state because before today I led seven governorship aspirants to Abuja for the reconciliation of the list and they all promised to work in each of the local government areas so that we will not fight ourselves,” he added.

    Emerhor explained that congresses as long as they cover the interest of the people generate trust and peace. “Of course when you lose at the ward level you can’t proceed to the LGA. So the peaceful LGA congress was as a result of the peaceful and successful ward congress we held last week,” he said.

    On his part, leader of the delegation that conducted the Ughelli North local government area congress, Olorogun Daniel Ekorhi in a chat, described the election as very peaceful.

    Ekorhi, who thanked members of the APC in Ughelli North local government area for conducting themselves in a very peaceful and orderly manner, also thanked the Almighty God that the APC now have elected executives in the area.

    The adoption of the unity list was necessary to avoid the crisis that rocked last Saturday’s ward congress of the party in the state, hence, leaders of the party at all levels reached agreement for a harmonised list to avert fresh squabbles in the local government congress in the state.

    It was gathered that the decision was reached in Abuja at a meeting attended by all prominent stakeholders including seven governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC.

    Dependable sources who confided the outcome of the meeting to our correspondent, noted that the move was to forestall further division in the party ahead of the 2019 elections in the state.

    Our sources added that the unity list is what the national working committee has approved for the local government congress as delegates in the 25 local government councils in the state.

    It was learnt that the national leadership was also making frantic efforts to unite the various blocs in the party as President Muhammadu Buhari was interested in grabbing Delta from the ruling People’s Democratic Party in 2019.

     

  • Delta PDP warns aspirants, loyalists not to heat up polity on social media

    The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has issued a warning barring aspirants and loyalists of the party not to unnecessarily heat up the political space of the State on the social media.

    This is contained in a press release signed and made available to TheNewsGuru by Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, the party’s State Publicity Secretary.

    Read full press release:

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Delta State is one big, united and happy family. We are proud to say it and claim it with full authority, absolute confidence and unshakable conviction.

    Those who are conversant with party politics are only too aware of the doctrine and truism that ‘Party is Supreme’ and the party is the home of all who aspire, subscribe and engage in the electioneering processes of seeking public office.

    It is also a political fact that every party has a leader who serves as the rallying fulcrum from whom party essence, branding, ideology and strategic mandate implementation devolves.

    The Delta State PDP is blessed and eternally grateful to have His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as our undisputed party leader and the beacon of governance excellence, who has given our party a sense of identity and restored our national relevance and importance in the political space.

    Those who know the origin and meaning of the title Ekwueme, (literally translated to mean he who does as he says and metaphorically interpreted as he who fulfils his promises) will confirm that Governor Okowa was not bestowed with the title on a mere whimsicality but earned it as a mark of recognition and appreciation from his kinsmen for being a man of his words, who fulfils his promises and delivers as he has pledged.

    We are truly blessed in Delta PDP, that Ekwueme, as our party leader, is neither a dictator nor an autocrat, but a true democrat who believes and strongly advocates that power belongs to the people and must be freely given by the people to the persons of their choice to lead and represent them. He is a true partyman who believes in bidding his time and moderating his ambition and has remained faithful to the party, unlike some others who quickly abandoned the party when they could not get what they wanted.

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as our party leader, has displayed a magnanimity, humility and benevolence in the party that has accommodated and carried everybody along. As a party leader he understands his responsibility as the father of the party and has ensured that the party operates in harmony and all conflict situations are resolved before they become crisis situations. He does not and has never discriminated against anybody but has rather exhibited a warm, humane and fatherly mien towards all irrespective of the circumstance, even to the point of consistently extending the olive branch and warm hand of fellowship to one and all including decampees whom he would dearly love to welcome back to the fold of the party. Governor Okowa has no enemies. He is indeed a good man.

    We in Delta PDP are extremely happy with the robustness, creative energy and journalistic exuberance with which the conventional and new media sectors in our State have blossomed, particularly in the social media teams that have sprung up in support of the objectives, manifestoes and pledges of our numerous aspirants and candidate.

    Our social media handles and handlers have not only defended our party stoutly and promoted the personalities, programmes and ideologies of our members excellently, they have also taken on the opposition courageously and matched them syllable for syllable, dishing out solid facts in debunking mischievous and misleading propaganda and churning out stories to capture and celebrate the achievements of our party, delivered brilliantly by the dedicated administration of His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

    However, while we hail the good works of our media teams in their committed effort to showcase and elevate our party, we are also mindful of the very succinct admonition of our leader Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who at every fora and party gathering has constantly re-echoed the caution that our members should not engage or support any action, activity or strategy that would heat up the polity and cause disharmony and disunity within and amongst the party and our members.

    We recall this auspicious advise by our leader Governor Okowa to our members against the backdrop of some recent media activities, which may have been inspired by momentous exuberance but which nevertheless qualifies as quite distasteful and detestable, in its attempt to portray a disagreement amongst the very top leadership of our party.

    We also note, with a twinge of sadness, the unchecked latitude of some social media commentators, who have invoked their affinity to certain party leaders as an authority to malign, insult and peddle untruths and propaganda materials just to satisfy their whims, for mischief making and circulate falsehood and disinformation. In addition, there are also those, who, in this political times also see the social media as an instrument to propagate the interest of these political lords, and so devote hours of their time on the social media attacking opponents of their political masters and interests.

    On a final note, it is equally imperative to counsel our political leaders seeking to fly the party flags during the forthcoming elections to warn their supporters and social media aides against misinformation and disinformation that is capable of creating a wedge between the governor and leaders of the party and their supporters but should rather focus on the things that will promote the excellent achievements of our governor and leader through the SMART Agenda, foster party harmony and unite our members into one indivisible force ahead of the 2019 elections.

    We in Delta PDP are not unmindful of the fact that our unparalleled successes in all Delta elections has not only unnevered our opponents but has the potential of creating a situation where we will be facing a formidable ‘enemy’ as opposition and now is the time for all hands to be on deck to build, sustain and ensure that the current team spirit and unity in PDP in Delta State is enhanced. We should stop throwing stones at each other, primaries are internal family issue. Whomsoever emerges as candidate needs the collaboration of every party member to face the opposition during the general elections. Therefore, all campaigns MUST be issues-based.

    Delta PDP is one united family under one undisputed leader in our great State.

    God Bless PDP.

     

  • Uduaghan speaks on senatorial ambition, boasts of capacity

    Uduaghan speaks on senatorial ambition, boasts of capacity

    Immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has reiterated the fact that he has the capacity to give good representation to Delta South Senatorial District at the National Assembly come 2019.

    Speaking to media men last weekend, the Itsekiri-born politician said his desire to go to the Red Chamber was not for the fun of it, but to ensure more development comes to Delta South and other senatorial districts under Delta State.

    Dr. Uduaghan, a PDP stalwart, revealed that having consulted with his immediate family, the Itsekiri people and stakeholders from the other ethnic groups that fall under Delta South Senatorial District including Ijaw, Isoko and even Urhobo, he was confident that the time has come for him to represent his people.

    The ex-governor also declared that Delta South deserved more projects and development even as those who represented the district as senators in the past had worked tirelessly to achieve this.

    He particularly lauded Chief James Ibori, the former governor, under whom he served as Commissioner for Health before taking over as governor himself as well as the incumbent governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for their efforts in sustaining peace being enjoyed in the state.

    While soliciting the support of the people in the district to ensure he emerges victorious both in the primary and the general elections, Dr. Uduaghan noted that his performance in the senate if elected would double his laudable achievements when he was the governor.

    “I know it is the turn of Itsekiri to go to the senate, but I need the support of my brothers and sisters from both Ijaw, Isoko and part of Urhobo that make up the senatorial district.”

    “I know that my past performance will also speak for me, hence I am canvassing for the support of the people.”

    “Am not going to the Senate because am Itsekiri. My aspiration is not ethnic but knowledge and capacity based.”

    “We also need to look at laws that will improve income accruing to oil-bearing communities. There should be a law that compels every company operating in the Niger Delta region to contribute a percentage to the host communities. This is done in Arizona and the Netherlands. Ours, here, should not be an exception.”

    “And to ensure a near absolute peace and security in the Niger Delta, local youths should be engaged to assist security men in intelligence gathering; through this, we’ll be able to reduce a lot of criminal activities in the creeks. These and more I have in store to undertake as a Senator from the region come 2019” the ex-governor said.

    He also advised the people not to regard elections as a do-or-die affair, explaining that Nigerians should continue to play politics without bitterness.

     

  • Delta PDP condemns killing during APC ward congress

    The Delta State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in strong terms the gruesome and deliberate murder of Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta, a Chairmanship Candidate , from Ward 10, Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South Local Government Area, of Delta State.

    This is contained in a statement party’s state publicity secretary, Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza, who said the report of Jeremiah’s death is uncalled for.

    “We read with great shock and a disturbing sense of alarm, the gruesome and deliberate murder of Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta, a Chairmanship Candidate , from Ward 10, Otu-Jeremi, Ughelli South Local Government Area, of Delta State.

    “The report of his death indicate that Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta met his untimely demise as a result of circumstances that were allegedly caused by the perpetratiom of electoral fraud and malpractice during the APC Ward Congress in his Local Government Area.

    “Our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Jeremiah Oghoveta and his loved ones who are now bereaved by this unexpected fatality. The death of one man diminishes us and the sudden cutting down of Mr. Oghoveta, a promising young Deltan with a bright political future and ready to serve his people and his State, in the prime of his life, diminishes us further and unveils to us once more, how fragile and temporal our existence truly is. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

    “While it will be uncharitable and un-African to even consider or seek any untoward political mileage out of the demise of a fellow Deltan, it behoves us as a responsible political party, to point out that this gory incident which took Mr. Jeremiah Aghoveta’s life raises the question once again, over the extent to which the APC and its supporters are ready to go to get what they want.

    “We recall vividly how only recently, a band of thugs, allegedly loyal to an APC Senator from Delta State, invaded the hallowed chambers of the Nigeria Senate in gung-ho style, brutalized the security personnel, disrupted the on-going plenary, intimidated the Senators in attendance, except one Senator who ostensibly led them into the chambers and, in what has been described as the most horrible and brazen assault on our freedom and democracy, took away the Mace, which is the sacred symbol of authority of our legislature, carried it all the way to the city gates of the Federal Capital Territory, only to discard it with malicious disdain and disregard under a foot bridge.

    “We shudder to imagine the level of violence and attendant blood-letting that would have happened in the event of a melee or scuffle, if any of the Senators present had attempted to intercept the hoodlums as they made away with the Mace, which would have promptly been deployed as a dangerous weapon, considering the way and manner the thugs had been wielding the heavy and sacred instrument in their escape movement.

    “Sadly, this weekend’s violence and fatality in an APC organized event did not only happen in Delta State, as reports reaching us also claim that Rivers State in particular and other States across the country, were equally embrolied in widespread violence over and during the conduct of the APC Ward congresses while violence consumed the APC Ekiti State governorship primaries, over allegations of electoral malpractices, fradulent activities by the actors and other sharp practices which are all hallmarks of rigging elections.

    “We will not dwell on the various accusations and allegations that the APC heaped and continues to pour on our party after every election, but the fact is becoming clearer now that pot of the APC impunity is even ‘blacker’ than the PDP democratic kettle and Deltans and Nigerians are becoming wiser by the day that nothing good will ever come out of APC.

    “We also want to use this medium to sound a note of warming and caution that what is happening in the APC, with all these violence and deaths, even in small elections and political activities like ward congresses, is not a good sign at all. What the APC has done is to send out a dangerous warning signal to all and sundry that they will do everything possible, including violence and taking of lives, to achieve their aim in 2019 and this message has been sent loud and clear with the dastardly murder of Mr. Jeremiah Aghoveta.

    “We use this medium to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies to take note of our warnings and concern as we enter the electioneering period for the 20!9 general elections. To forewarned is to be forearmed

    “As we mourn with the bereaved family of Mr. Jermiah Aghoveta and indeed all Deltans, over this sad and unnecessary death, we pray the good Lord to give his immediate family and relatives the fortitude to bear the loss and the grace and divine provision to carry on without him in the months and years to come.

    “We must not allow APC to endanger the lives and property of Deltans again because of their wild and uncontrollable ambition to get power at all cost. Politics is not a do or die affair,” the statement read.

     

  • Miraculous! Man cheats death in ghastly motor accident

    Miraculous! Man cheats death in ghastly motor accident

    A young man based in the Okpe area of Delta state cheated death in a ghastly motor accident after his speeding vehicle lost control.

    The young man’s Toyota Camry lost control and rammed into an articulated truck conveying electric power equipment.

    TheNewsGuru reports Omoghene Lucky, a civil engineer involved in the accident, narrowly escaped the seeming death.

    seeming death

    Now, this is what you call a miracle! See more photos below:

    seeming death

     

  • Gov. Okowa appoints former guber aspirant board chair

    Gov. Okowa appoints former guber aspirant board chair

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has announced the appointment of former governorship aspirant, Tony Obuh, as Chairman of Pensions Board Delta State.

    TheNewsGuru reports the Delta state governor also has approved the appointment of nine permanent secretaries for the state’s civil service and the state’s Hospital Management Board.

    Information about the appointment is in a statement signed on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Charles Aniagwu in Asaba.

    Aniagwu stated that the appointment was in line with government’s desire to rejig the state’s civil service and reposition it for effective service delivery.

    The new permanent secretaries are Mr Fred Edafioghor, Mr S. E. O. Dietake, Mr F. N. Anuku, Mr U. M. Aloba and Mr. L. O. Kekema.

    Others are Mrs A. Arthur-Prest Umukoro, Mr C. N. Akpatiakwachukwu, Mrs. G. A. Puegeren and Dr A. I. Pemu.

    The appointees would be sworn in at a later date, the statement read.

     

  • Delta Govt. approves sale of residential quarters to workers

    The Delta Government has approved the sale of Junior and Middle Management Staff Quarters, Asaba, to the civil servants currently occupying them owner occupier basis.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, disclosed this in a statement in Asaba on Thursday.

    Ukah said under the new arrangement, occupiers of one-bedroom apartments in the quarters would pay N800, 000 each while those living in two-bedroom apartments would pay N1.6 million each to own them.

    He said that modalities for the payments would be worked out through the Delta Trust Mortgage Bank.

    The commissioner said that approval had been given for the release of funds for the payment of bursaries to students of the state origin in tertiary institutions across the country.

    Ukah who however did not state the amount involved said the fund to be released would be for 2016/2017 Students’ Special Assistance Scheme.

    He also said that government approved the award of contract for the completion of the second phase of the outstanding work at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    The commissioner said the award of the contract was to ensure successful hosting of the African International Athletics Championship in the stadium in August.

    Ukah added that the state government approved the transfer of ownership of Ughelli Modern Market built by it to Ughelli North Local Government.

     

  • FG begins construction of modular refinery in Delta state

    The federal government on Thursday said construction work has now started on OPAC Modular Refinery in Kwale, Delta State.

    The FG made this known today saying the construction work was according to President Muhammadu Buhari’s new vision for the Niger Delta.

    According to the FG, one of the focus areas of Buhari’s new vision for the Niger Delta is enabling the establishment of private modular refineries.

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said in a statement that the refinery, being promoted by Pillar Oil Limited, Omsa Limited and Astek Limited, will process 7,000 barrels per stream day of crude oil when completed.

    The modular refinery, expected to come on stream in the fourth quarter of this year, DPR said 7,000bpsd of crude, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes of crude oil annually, would come from Pillar facility in Kwale.

    “The facility is expected to come on stream in the third quarter 2018 and the DPR has granted it requisite approvals: approval to relocate plant and approval to construct plant in line with our effective regulatory process and in alignment with government’s aspiration to stimulate economic growth,” the agency said on Wednesday.

    The main products from the refinery will include naphtha, kerosene, diesel and fuel oil fractions.

    According to the statement, the refinery facility includes storage depot for crude oil and finished products, and loading terminal.

    “The modular straight run refinery consists of the following modules: oil refining unit cru-350; heating furnaces; pumping stations; water cooling system; separation and preparation tanks; storage depot; control room with electrical panel; utilities supply and office facilities including laboratory; and truck-loading station,” the statement added.

    The DPR noted that the FG granted 18 refinery licences in 2004, which later grew to 23.