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Tag: Ifeanyi Okowa

  • Delta state government to support AGN, Movie practitioners, set to build magnificent film village

    Delta state government to support AGN, Movie practitioners, set to build magnificent film village

    In a bid to move the movie industry forward, the Delta state government has assured the theatre practitioners, actors and actresses of support to help the industry grow further.

    The Delta state government made this known during an interactive session between members of the various stakeholders in the Movie Industry as well as human rights groups in the State capital, Asaba

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who was ably represented by the Secretary the Government Chief Patrick Ukah reiterated the government’s stance to continue to give its support to the movie industry by giving enabling environment for the industry and practitioners to strive on.

    He added that the government has got plans to ensure adequate security is given, build a befitting film village, which includes studios , amphitheater etc which has made Asaba the hub for movie shooting and location in not only in Nigeria but Africa

    He assures movie makers that the Government will partner with the Actors Guild of Nigeria in the running of the newly built multi million naira Film Village in Asaba

    Governor Okowa said the State Government is ready to do more with the Actors Guild of Nigeria and other relevant Movie related unions in order to take movie production to the next level

    He ended up by assuring that a Film City will soon be established in the State where movie practioners  can buy lands and build their houses

    In his remark , the President of Actors Guild of Nigeria,  Chief Emeka Rollas MON said the interactive session was organized to interface with the State in areas of primary interest for the movie industry

    He urged the State Government to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the industry to grow its economy

    He further thanked Delta State for the full support given its members over the years,but stated that so much more could still be achieved in this direction

    Also speaking at the event, the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Delta State Hon Sheriff Oborevwori pledge to continue the legacies laid down by the outgoing government for the Entertainment industry if elected into office

    Represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, said the Entertainment industry cannot be neglected by any serious minded government  not only because of the accruing economic benefits but also the joy it brings to millions of Nigerians across political, ethnic, social,  religious, gender leanings

    The event was attended by so many stakeholders in the industry including the Senator elect for Delta North Hon Ned Nwoko , Nollywood greats Ajebo, Ngozi Ezeonu ,Jnr Pope,Baba Rex aka Mr CUM,Ebele Okaro, Livinus Nnochiri,Mac Collins Chidebe (China)Destiny Etiko, Mary Igwe, Ify Eze, Chioma Emenike,Major film Marketers and Distributors:Remmy Jess, Ossy Affason, Nickson, Wazico, etc.

  • Omo-Agege denies plans to reverse teachers retirement age in Delta

    Omo-Agege denies plans to reverse teachers retirement age in Delta

    Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, the Delta All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship candidate has denied rumour that he plans to reverse the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in the State.

    Omo-Agege, also the Deputy President of the Senate, said this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sunny Areh on Friday in Warri.

    He described the rumour as the handiwork of the Peoples Demicratic Party (PDP), urging residents to ignore it and vote for him in the March 18 Governorship Election.

    Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central at the National Assembly, said that the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers was passed by the national assembly in January 2021 under his watch as Deputy President of the Senate.

    “That Omo-Agege plans to reverse the recently domesticated Federal law by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta in the state when assumes office as governor.

    “For record purposes, senator Omo-Agege is part of the leadership of the National Assembly as Deputy President of the Senate that worked assiduously for the passage of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill into law.

    “To now suggest that the same law I facilitated its passage into law will be rolled back when I becomes Governor after winning the rescheduled March 18, governorship election is not just stupid and idiotic but farcical,” he said.

    Omo-Agege said that on April 8, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Bill which then became an Act.

    According to him, Section 1 of the Act clearly states that Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

    Omo-Agege said that few days ago, Gov.Ifeanyi Okowa approved the adoption of the act extending the retirement age of teacher in the state.

    He said that the governor adopted the act exactly one year after the Federal Government had begun its implementation describing it as a belated move borne out of desperation.

    Omo-Agege said that he had a concerted programme to improve the ambience for learning in the state.

    He reiterated his commitment to upgrading the infrastructure in educational institutions, promote teachers as and when due and ensure that on retirement, their gratuity and benefits were paid.

  • Gov Okowa calls for calm as police arrest 5 over Naira notes protest

    Gov Okowa calls for calm as police arrest 5 over Naira notes protest

    The Police Command in Delta says five people have been arrested for setting two banks and two vehicles ablaze on Wednesday in Udu Local Government Area of the State.

    The Spokesman of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe disclosed this  in a telephone interview in Warri.

    “Two banks and two vehicles were set ablaze by the protesters in Udu. I am not aware of any other protest in Warri and Effurun.

    “Meanwhile, five persons have been apprehended in connection with the crime,” Edafe said.

    An eyewitness said some people who were angry about the non availability of cash in banks and the rejection of the old naira notes protested and set ablaze two vehicles around Express Junction and Ovwian area of Udu.

    Normalcy has been restored following the swift intervention of security operatives deployed to forestall total breakdown of law and order.

    Naira scarcity protests: Okowa appeals for calm

    Meanwhile, the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, amidst scarcity of the new naira notes.

    Okowa, the Vice-Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the appeal in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, on Wednesday in Asaba.

    The governor’s appeal came on the heels of protests by some citizens of the state at Orhuwhorun community in Udu Local Government Area, where a bank’s ATM gallery was reportedly torched.

    While calling on the people to remain calm, he also appealed to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the monetary authorities to take further step in increasing the cash supply in the system.

    “We appeal to our brothers and sisters across the state to keep calm, in spite of the current travails they are going through as a result of the scarcity of naira notes in the country.

    “As a government, we are not unaware of your sufferings but we appeal to you to be patient with the monetary authorities, as they take steps to improve on the money supply in the country.

    “We are very much aware of your pains and concerns, but burning down a bank that employs our people will not augur well for us as a nation, even as it will not also solve the problem but further compound the situation.

    “Once again we appeal to you all to sheath your swords while we continue to engage the CBN to ensure more funds are released to the banks in the country,” Okowa said.

  • Urhobo group drums support for Atiku/Okowa ticket

    Urhobo group drums support for Atiku/Okowa ticket

    The Urhobo Youth Leaders Association (UYLA), on Sunday staged a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Abubakar Atiku/Ifeanyi Okowa Presidential ticket.

    The duo are contesting under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections.

    The group also drummed supports for the Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly and the PDP Governorship candidate in Delta, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori.

    Members of the group blocked the Okere Road in Warri South Local Government, chanting solidarity songs, and carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “Urhobos need Okowa and Atiku for 2023”, and “Okowa never betrayed anybody” among others.

    The protesters, thereafter, marched to the Urhobo Cultural Centre in Warri South to register their grievance to the executive of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide.

    Addressing the UPU executive, the President of UYLA, Mr Samuel Oghotomo, said that they came to notify the apex Urhobo umbrella body (UPU) of the manner the Urhobos were going about the political campaign.

    Oghotomo said that political campaigns should be issue based rather than attacking one and another.

    “The campaign of calumny, character assassination of brother against brother is against the progress of Urhobo as a nation,” he said.

    Oghotomo urged the UPU to wade into the matter and call to order those indulged in “dragging their Urhobo brothers down because of primitive quest for power”.

    Responding, Mr  Ese Gram, the President-General of the UPU, Worldwide, said that the Urhobo people had lost so many things due to violence and riots.

    “The UPU has no Youth wing presently. Since the coming into being of this current UPU administration, it is now we are meeting to take certain decisions.

    “Unfortunately, in the heat of that meeting, you people came.

    “At this particular moment, Okowa is the executive governor of Delta and he must be accorded with all deserving regards and respect at all times.

    “So, we are not in support of anybody taking the laws into his hands as he promised to work for the interest of Urhobo nation,” he said.

  • Gov Okowa congratulates Ewherido, Bishop of Warri Catholic Diocese

    Gov Okowa congratulates Ewherido, Bishop of Warri Catholic Diocese

    Vice-Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Rt. Rev. Anthony Ewherido on his ordination as 5th Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Warri.

    Bishop Ewherido, 62, a Professor of Biblical Theology and Languages, was until his appointment and ordination as Bishop, the Rector of the Seminary of SS. Peter & Paul, Ibadan.

    In a congratulatory message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, on Thursday in Asaba, Okowa said that the Urhobo people, Deltans and Nigerians were proud of his elevation as the first Urhobo Catholic priest to be elevated to the position of Bishop.

    The governor noted that Ewherido’s emerged after a highly competitive selection process, but said that he wasn’t surprised as his appointment as Bishop was long awaited.

    He said “with your resounding intellect, great pastoral zeal and compassion, you have over the years risen above board by preaching the word of faith towards repentance.

    “It is our prayer that, in your new position, God uses you to counsel and move the entire Warri Catholic Diocese, in the direction in which you have been ordained to lead.”

    Okowa wished the new Bishop God’s guidance and success in his high ecclesiastical responsibility.

  • Delta youths protest against fresh loan request by Gov Okowa

    Delta youths protest against fresh loan request by Gov Okowa

    Hundreds of youths in Delta State took to the streets to protest against a fresh loan request by the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa.

    The protesters on Monday blocked the ever-busy Effurun/Agbarho section of the East-West Road in Delta State.

    The protesters specifically warned commercial banks in the country to desist from granting additional fresh loans to Governor Okowa-led government at the peak of political activities in the State.

    The youths under the aegis of concerned stakeholders from several civil society organizations (CSOs) warned that any bank still granting loans to Okowa-led government “is doing so at their own peril”.

    They alleged that such loans were being diverted to fund political activities at the detriment of the people of the State.

    They condemned the continued “borrowing spree” by the PDP-led government, saying that there was nothing to show for the huge loans and federal allocation that the State has received in the over seven and half years of Governor Okowa’s administration.

    The protest is coming on the heels of the recent N120 billion loan request by the State Government which has been approved by the State House of Assembly.

    Armed with placards with various inscriptions, which include, “don’t mortgage Delta,” “We say no to N120B loan”, they accused Okowa-led government of mortgaging the future Deltans yet-unborn over the high debt profile of the state.

    Addressing journalists at the venue of the protest, National Youth President, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Comrade Kelly Umukoro, said Delta State youths reject and condemned the recent loan by the state government.

    According to him, “We have seen that the present state government wants to sell us for the future of their children and themselves. You have few months to leave government, and you are borrowing another N120 billion.

    “Is it that we are sponsoring Okowa’s ambition to be vice president of Niger with Delta state money? Did we have any meeting as Deltans to say we want to use our treasury to sponsor Gov. Okowa who has not been able to improve the lives of Deltans?

    “No infrastructure, for eight years you have been able to do one flyover and you are celebrating it. What does he need this money for? The answer is simple, he needs it to oil his vice presidential ambition.

    “As critical stakeholders, we are saying no, never. We are saying our children cannot pay debt that was not used by their fathers. Okowa should have pity on us. Delta owns a State University in Abraka, school fee was increased. Delta state university is like a private university where students pay N250,000.

    “With all the ways of getting money, the governor is still interested in taking more loan. As Deltans we are saying any bank that gives loan to Okowa is doing that on their detriment. If they are doing giveaway, they should make it clear.

    “We are not going to pay. We are demanding that banks should not give Okowa anymore loan because the money in his coffers, he has not been able to use it judiciously”.

    Also speaking, the National President of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Prince Kehinde Taiga, lamented the underdevelopment of the state despite the huge borrowing by the present administration.

    Taiga wondered why Delta will to borrow despite huge allocations to the state as well as internally generated revenues when there’s nothing to show in the state.

    Another protester, Onoriode Emmanuel, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of development in the state, noting that despite the huge loans collected, there are no tangible projects to show.

    He described the Delta State House of Assembly of being rubber stamp, as they easily approve every loan sought by the state executive.

    However, the state government through the commissioner for information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said the loan recently approved by the State House Assembly was not a fresh loan.

    Aniagwu explained that it was only N20 billion from N120 billion that was approved by the legislature that is a fresh loan, saying the previous loan arranger pulled out of the earlier arrangement.

    He added that the loans were tied to specific projects which will engender rapid development in the state.

  • Okowa directs govt agencies to embrace cashless policy

    Okowa directs govt agencies to embrace cashless policy

    Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Governor of Delta, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has directed all government agencies to embrace full cashless policy to mitigate the sufferings of the masses.

    Okowa gave the directive in view of the hardship caused by the redesign of the new naira notes and subsequent directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria on the need for citizens to embrace cashless policy.

    Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu who announced the governor’s directive at a news conference on Sunday in Asaba, said the directive had become imperative following complaints of patient’s inability to access medical services at hospitals across the state due to unavailability of cash.

    The governor also called on the Federal Government and the monetary authorities to ensure full penetration of banking services to the rural communities and urged private businesses to embrace the cashless policy irrespective of the hiccups presently experienced in order to reduce the sufferings of the masses.

    “His Excellency the Governor of Delta, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has directed that every government agency should proceed to embrace fully the cashless policy.

    “We have also directed that all hospitals should make urgent efforts to ensure that they provide PoS services or any other platforms for them to collect funds electronically.

    “This is because you cannot refuse to treat somebody because he does not have cash, so if at the state level we are ensuring that we conform, we are also encouraging the private sector to conform with the directive to ameliorate the sufferings of the people in this regard.

    “We are urging all hospitals to take steps to provide alternative payment platforms other than cash, nobody should refuse to treat somebody because he is not able to provide cash,” he said.

    Aniagwu further urged Deltans to use the window provided by the cashless policy to key into the state’s Contributory Health Insurance Scheme to enable them access health services at any point in time without bothering to pay cash or out of pocket expenses.

    “We are also asking Deltans to embrace the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme. We have been able to bring in a number persons in the informal sector such that you can now go to hospital without having cash or out of pocket expenses.

    The moment you are able to pay for the year into the Contributory Health Scheme, you just go to the Hospital without having a penny and you are treated.

    We have already dealt with that in the formal sector and today we have gone beyond the One million mark in terms of people registered in our Contributory Health insurance Scheme.

    With this cashless policy, we now want to impress it on our people to embrace the Contributory Health Scheme so that they don’t continue the out of pocket expenses which is even far costlier than the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.

    “Imagine just paying N7,000 for a whole year for one person and any day you go into the hospital you are treated? Is that not better than once in a while you have malaria, you spend N20,000 and another time you spend more money.

    “As a government we are embracing the cashless policy because we are quite convinced that it will help to reduce incidence of corruption, but we are also asking the monetary authorities to make this policies work well for our people particularly those in the rural communities.

    “They must find ways of improving penetration of banking services or point of sale services so that people cannot have their monies stuck and yet they are not able to feed well or they are not able to commute.

    “So as we embrace the policy, it is important that that policy begin to have a human face by ensuring that our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters in the rural communities are able to also have access to the platforms that will help them key in very well so that we will have a country that is advancing digitally on all fronts,” he stated.

  • BREAKING: Edwin Clark, groups endorse Peter Obi for president

    BREAKING: Edwin Clark, groups endorse Peter Obi for president

    The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), chaired by Elder statesman, Edwin Clark, has endorsed Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 presidential election.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports The SMBLF is made up of leaders from the middle-belt area, as well as groups including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

    Clark said the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), betrayed the people of Southern Nigeria.

    Clark, who is a former Federal Commissioner for information, stated this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

    The elder statesman urged Governor Okowa to step down as the vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.

    He stressed that Okowa running as the PDP vice presidential candidate was contrary to the resolution of the South-South Forum that the presidency must shift from the North to the South in 2023.

    “Okowa has betrayed his colleagues in the Southern Governors Forum and the South generally.

    “This man has betrayed us for accepting to be the running mate of Atiku. Without me, it would have been difficult for him to become governor of Delta.

    “What shocked me was that our governor without discussing with any one of us was working with a presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar without our knowing.

    “This man has betrayed us. We all agreed, and we held a series of meetings that this man has betrayed us. We can no longer trust him,” Clark said.

  • Coalition of political parties adopt Atiku, Okowa for presidency

    Coalition of political parties adopt Atiku, Okowa for presidency

    The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Thursday, endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running  mate, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

    The CUPP from the 11 States of the South -South and South East Geopolitical zones  stated this in a communiqué read by its Spokesman, Prince Henry Eze, in Asaba, Delta.

    The group led by its zonal Chairman, Mr Ken Ikeh, said that adopting the Atiku-Okowa ticket was in line with the vision of the CUPP founding fathers.

    He said that the state of the nation has forced the CUPP in the 11 states in the  South-South and South-East, to scrutinize  the Presidential candidates of the political parties for the 2023 general elections.

    “This is with a view to adopting one of them as consensus presidential candidate in line with the vision of CUPP founding fathers.

    “The CUPP, arising from a critical assessment meeting, therefore gladly endorsed the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar- Ifeanyi Okowa joint ticket as our consensus choice for the 2023 presidential election.

    ” This geopolitical zone of Nigeria has always joined the rest of the country to advocate for restructuring of this economy.

    “Atiku is an advocate of restructuring and has promised to champion devolution of power to federating states.

    “Atiku, having been the Vice President of Nigeria is the most experienced of all the presidential candidates and besides, his joint ticket with Okowa satisfies the criteria of Muslim-Christian ticket.

    “Atiku’s choice of Okowa as running mate is an indication that the PDP presidential candidate cares for the  Igbo people.

    “In 1999, Atiku demonstrated his preference by choosing his running mate from the South-East.Both Atiku and Okowa are proven and tested unifiers,“he said.

    “In view of Atiku’s strong view on restructuring, education, his experience and maturity in politics, the CUPP in the zone believe he is the best among the presidential candidates.

    “We urge all political stakeholders, opinion leaders and elders of the geopolitical zone and all Nigerians of good conscience to support Atiku,”he said.

    The endorsement came few days after the Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Rally, Asaba.

    The group formed in July 2018, is an alliance of 40 Political Parties including the PDP, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Labour Party (LP) formed with the sole aim of taking  power from the ruling APC in 2019.

  • Asaba stands still as Atiku vows to devolve power to States at campaign rally

    Asaba stands still as Atiku vows to devolve power to States at campaign rally

    Asaba stood still on Tuesday as supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) turned out en masse to grace the party’s presidential campaign at the Delta capital.

    The over 25,000-capacity Keshi Stadium, venue of the rally overflowed with party supporters while those outside the stadium outnumbered those within.

    Addressing the rally, the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar lauded the large turnout and urged those in attendance to convert their support to vote for the party massively.

    He thanked the people of Delta for their resolute commitment to the PDP since 1999 and urged them to continue to support the party.

    He assured that the support which informed his decision to choose Delta’s Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate was part of his commitment to reward the state and Niger Delta in general.

    He said that his administration would devolve power to states to enable them to control their resources, stressing that the sacrifices of Delta and the Niger Delta would be rewarded.

    Atiku said he was not in Delta to campaign but to show gratitude to the people for supporting the party since 1999 till date.

    “Delta and indeed all Niger Delta have never failed me; you have supported me all through and I shall not betray that trust.

    “It is because of the support that I chose one of your own in the person of Gov. Okowa as my running mate,’’ he said.

    He called on the people to support the party and vote en-masse for PDP to ensure the realisation of the party’s agenda.

    Atiku pledged to end strikes in tertiary institutions to ensure credible and functional education system in the country.

    He also pledged to grow the economy through massive industrialisation; ensure security of life and properties and resource control.

    “With me as president, I want to assure you that there will be no more strikes by ASUU.

    “Also, we shall devolve power to the states; there will be resource control and you as the Niger Delta shall benefit from that policy.

    “Security is paramount; it is our responsibility and commitment to secure this country to enable businesses to thrive.

    “Since 1999, Delta has remained a PDP state and it has continued to enjoy the dividends of good governance.

    “You must believe in PDP to deepen development and grow our economy to become the largest economy on the continent,’’ Atiku said.

    On his part, Gov. Okowa charged PDP supporters to convert the large turnout to votes by collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by voting for all PDP candidates.

    He said the large turnout by youths and others was impressive and since Delta is the choice for vice-president, the people should appreciate Atiku with a large number of votes.

    “We have been looking for a president with capacity, knowledge and experience; Atiku fits in and he is the man to reset the county’s economy,’’ Okowa said.

    In this remarks, Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Akwa Ibom’s Gov. Udom Emmanuel, charged the people to affirm their support by voting for PDP.

    Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Organisation, Sokoto State’s Gov. Aminu Tambuwal and Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, also echoed the same view.

    According to Emmanuel, the rally was to celebrate victory as Delta and the Niger Delta will poll more than five million votes for the PDP.

    “I am certain that with Atiku and Okowa as president and vice-president, respectively, international oil companies that left Warri and other parts of the Niger Delta region will return.

    Gov. Obaseki pledge the resolve Edo people to poll 1.5 million votes for the Atiku-Okowa ticket.

    Tambuwal said PDP leaders are managers of human, institutions and resources and that a vote for Atiku-Okowa would be rewarding.

    The party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who later received some defectors from the All Progressive Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Labour Party (LP), noted that Delta remained a one-party state.

    “We are sure that you will all come out en-masse to vote PDP all thorough in February and in Mach elections.

    In their separate remarks, the party’s governorship candidate in Delta, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori; Former Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, thanked Atiku for the choice of Okowa as running mate.

    They pledged the state’s resolve to deliver massive votes for the party during the elections.

    The rally provided opportunities for food and drinks vendors, POS agents and others to make brisk businesses.