The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has expressed dismay over the insistence of some multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region on moving their headquarters elsewhere.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, in a statement, said Omo-Agege demanded that oil companies whose head offices are not in the region should relocate there.
Omo-Agege, who expressed the dismay on Monday at the Senate plenary during the confirmation hearing of ministerial nominees, also said there is no need for Nigeria to continue with the multibillion Naira oil sudsidy regime.
He said all that is needed to address the lingering issue of inadequate refined oil production to match local consumption, is to fix the country’s ailing refineries.
He also expressed surprise that in spite of obvious economic realities, some people within and outside the NNPC still continue to believe that sudsidy is the solution.
“I have always taken the position that there is no need for us to continue with this subsidy; all we need to do is to fix the refineries. But, today, I have seen many people in the NNPC and elsewhere moving otherwise because they believe we ought to continue with this subsidy regime.
“I am from the Niger Delta and there are a lot of us who believe that most of the oil companies doing business in that neighborhood ought to have their offices and their headquarters in that same neighborhood so as to provide employment opportunities
“There is an issue that is raging right now in the Niger Delta and it has to do with the Nigerian Gas Company in Ekpan-Warri; they are also threatening to move their headquarters from Warri in Delta state to somewhere else.
“I am seeking a commitment today as the representative of the people of Delta Central that no ministerial nominee today will eventually superintend over the movement of the Nigerian Gas Company elsewhere.
“I also seek a commitment that those companies that are doing business in the Niger Delta but have their headquarters elsewhere should come back to the Niger Delta area to provide jobs for our teeming youths,” the Deputy President of the Senate said.
Tag: Warri
-
Omo-Agege warns against relocation of Nigerian Gas Company from Ekpan-Warri
-
Update: Gov. Okowa makes fresh appointments
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has forwarded a list of fresh appointments into various positions to the Delta State House of Assembly for confirmation.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Governor Okowa forwarded names of ten Commissioners designate, being the final batch, to the State Assembly.
The Governor also named appointees into the boards of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency; Delta State Capital Development Agency, and Local Government Service Commission.
Aniagwu Charles, Matthew Tsekiri, Emman Amgbaduba, Ifeanyi Michael Egwunyenga, Mordi Ononye, Ovie Oghoore, (Mrs) Gbubemi Ikoko, Christian Onogba, Omamofe Joseph Pirah and Henry Sakpra were appointed Commissioners designate And Members of the State Executive Council awaiting the State Assembly confirmation.
Meanwhile, Michael Diden Ejele was appointed Chairman of the board of the DESOPADEC and Bashorun Askia Ogieh was appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DESOPADEC.
While Shedrack Agediga, John Obukowho Nani, Leonard Anoka and Daniel Itsekirimi Mayuku were appointed as Executive Directors in the DESOPADEC, Grifton Omastsuli, Paul Oweh and Kent Okiemute were appointed as members of the board.
Other members appointed are Joyce Overah, Anslem Nwokenye, Paul Bebenimibo, Ikechukwukwu Akozor, Vincent Oyibode and Ossai Ochonogor Samuel.
Appointed in the board of Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency are Joseph Utumara and Ovuozorie Macaulay as Chairman and Director General respectively.
Members appointed in the board of Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency include Sunny Ezonfade, Amaka Egboro and Kelly Otuedon.
Senator Ighoyota Amori was appointed as Chairman of the Delta State Capital Development Agency, with Joan Mrakpor as Director General, and Ogbueshi Adizue Eluaka, Blessing Adidi and Isaac Wilkie as member
For the Local Government Service Commission, Joseph Otirhue was appointed as Chairman with Chukwuka John Greatman, Katherine Ikoko and Rose Asore as members.
Earlier, Governor Okowa, determined to have a formidable team to build a stronger Delta State, had stated why he was giving appointments in batches.
He said that the appointments are coming in batches to ensure that the right set of persons are fixed into the right positions.
“I believe that the process of political appointments is continuous and appointments will come in batches because, we are all aware that there is room for a lot of people to be given political appointments, but, it is not possible to appoint all Deltans into office,” Okowa had said. -
Breaking: Gov. Okowa appoints Chairman for Warri/Uvwie, environs dev board
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has appointed Dr. Joseph Utumara as Chairman of the board of the newly established Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Governor Okowa also appointed Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay as Managing Director (MD) of the Agency.
Recall that the Delta State House of Assembly in May passed the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency Bill 2019.
The bill provided the law for the establishment of the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency, its administrative structure, functions and powers of the board and other matters connected therewith.
Members appointed into the board by Governor Okowa include Dr Sunny Ezonfade, Mrs Amaka Egboro and Prince Kelly Otuedon.
TNG reports the Governor has forwarded the names to the Delta State House of Assembly for confirmation. -
Video: Internet abuzz as Buhari flops at Warri rally
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday committed error at a campaign rally in Warri, Delta State.
Buhari made the faux pas while delivering a speech during the hand over of the party’s flag to Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Great Ogboru
Buhri said: “I am handing over this flag of honour to our presidential candidate.”
When one of his aide corrected him, saying “gubernatorial”, Buhari still responded: “to our senatorial candidate”.
Again, his aide told him “gubernatorial”. This time, Buhari said: “governortorial candidate”.
-
Niger Delta Crisis: We cannot relocate to Warri owing to insecurity – Shell
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) on Tuesday said that the relocation of its operational headquarters to Warri, Delta State is impossible due to the subsisting insecurity in the area and other places in the Niger Delta region of the country.The Royal Dutch company canvassed this position in a memorandum as well as oral presentation at a Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) on the the matter at the National Assembly.The hearing was entitled: “Need for Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria SPDC to return its Operational Headquarters to Warri, Delta State”.At the hearing, the company’s representative Dr. Steve Okwuosah said that militancy, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities still hold sway in Warri and other parts of Niger Delta region and so would not allow for a smooth operation of company’s facilities in the area.He said that the company had lost billions of dollars in its operations in the region owing to insecurity and called for the protection of its facilities by the relevant security agencies of the federal government.Nevertheless, the House Committee, the Delta State Government as well as host communities of the companies operating in the region had insisted that the operational headquarters of the company must be relocated to Warri for economic reasons.Both the Secretary to the Delta State Government Hon. Festus Ovie Agas and Chief Edward Ekpoko Chairman Ijaw,Isoko and Itsekiri Leaders Forum had insisted that the company must relocate its operational headquarters to Warri for smooth operations.They had insisted that militancy and pipeline vandalism had been reduced to the barerest minimum in the ares and so could not ‘ve been adduced by the company for failing to relocate to its operational headquarters.Moreorover, Chairman of the House Committee Hon. Victor Nwokolo in a remark said that insecurity can no longer be adduced as reason for the non-relocation of the company to its operational headquarters.He had insisted that the Delta State is now the investment destination for oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region of the country.Other lawmakers as Hon.Daniel Reyeniju (Delta, PDP) Hon. Goodluck Opia (Imo, APC) and Hon.Toby Okechukwu(Enugu, PDP) blamed the federal and state governments for prevalence insecurity in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.Reyeniju particularly lamented that the Delta State Government that has 55 percent stake in the company’s assets could not be adequately represented at the investigative public hearing. -
Being underrated has been part of my story –Efe Ejeba
Nigerian rapper and winner of BBNaija Double Wahala, has said he is accustomed to being underrated.
The budding singer has been slammed on several occasions for not being good enough to ‘blow’ in the Nigerian music industry.
Some fans even allude that despite collaborating with rapper Olamide, he is still yet to have a mainstream hit song.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Efe said he is “here to stay”, adding that he will never stop believing in himself.
He wrote: “EFE MONEY is here to stay!! Being underrated has been a part of me from day 1, but every time God proves them wrong & He does it in a miraculous way beyond every expectation.
“That’s how I got here. I hope I inspire you to your greatness… NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOURSELF… coz I have never stopped.”
In a chat with TheNewsGuru, the Warri born rapper noted that he didn’t expect to win BBNaija in 2018
“Everybody goes into the Big Brother Naija house with the optimism and hope that they would win. At first, I didn’t think I was going to win, I saw it as a platform to promote my music. I and my brother agreed that If I can spend three weeks in the Big Brother House I have tried” .
-
Breaking: 11 years after, Warri monarch receives staff of office
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Monday presented staff of office to the Orosuen of Okere Urhobo Warri Kingdom, Professor Paul Okumagba, Idama ll.
The event took place 11 years after the death of the late traditional ruler, Benjamin Okumagba in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.
The new monarch, Prof. Okumagba is a renowned professor of Sociology from the Delta State University, Abraka.
Governor Okowa who was represented by his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro congratulated the monarch on his selection and subsequent recognition as the Orosuen of Okere Urhobo Kingdom.
The governor urged the monarch to entrench peace in the Warri metropolis.
He also advised the people of Okere Urhobo to resolve their differences and cooperate with the monarch to achieve sustainable peace and progress in the kingdom.
“The Orosuen is one of you and it is a win-win situation for all the people of Okere Urhobo, Warri.
“No doubt, government is aware of some pockets of dissenting voices in the processes leading to today’s ceremony.
“I sincerely urge you to give him your fullest support and cooperation for sustainable peace and progress of the kingdom.
“Your Royal Majesty, you are the father of all your subjects, so you should be fair to all and sundry, as the custodian of the tradition of your people, it is important that you uphold the sanctity of their custom,’’ he said.
He appealed to the traditional ruler to imbibe democratic virtues and consultation in his dealings with the people.
The Chairman, Warri South Local Government Council, Dr. Micheal Tidi, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Mrs Ann Iniovosa, urged the people of Okere Urhobo to unite to fast track development in the area.
Earlier, the Otota (Traditional Prime Minister) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Wilson Eboh, gave the assurance that the reign of the royal father would be peaceful and attract development.
He, however, appealed to Okowa to construct the Ejemudaro Road where the Orosuen Palace is situated, among other roads in the kingdom.
Several traditional rulers across the state including the Orodje of Okpe, Orhue 1; the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Abe 1; religious leaders, and government functionaries attended the event.
-
Itakpe-Warri rail begins daily operations Nov. 19
Mr Fidel Okhiria, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), says Itakpe-Warri rail line will begin daily operations on Monday, Nov. 19.
Okhiria disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that the daily operations would be used to study the timing and traffic pattern for the period of one month, before commercial activities would commenced fully.
According to him, the daily test run operation will end on Dec. 19, with inspection by various government officials to see the level of work going on.
“By Nov. 19, we will commence daily operations, on Nov. 7 some National Assembly members went there for a train ride, they were pleased.
“We are preparing to go on more inspections with government officers but before then, we will start our daily test run, not commercial, so that we can study the timing and traffic pattern.
“So, we will do that for a month, ending Dec. 19, then commercial operation will commence immediately,“ he said.
The NRC boss stated that the operations would start with passengers first, before cargoes, as the passengers would start bringing goods and the warehouse would be available to off-load the goods.
He said that 12 stations for the train service were still under construction, stating that temporary stations would be used pending when the stations would be completed.
Okhiria said that the stations would be completed by the first quarter of 2019.
“We are still working on the stations; we don’t want to wait until the stations are completed before we start, we have temporary stations, so that we don’t interfere with what they are doing which is allowed.
“If we wait for the stations to be completed, the tracks may be vandalized again, but by the time we engage it for maintenance, we will protect the tracks.
“Stations will come later; we hope that by the first quarter of next year, the 12 stations will be completed and commercial service will start after Dec. 19,’’ he said.
-
Delta Govt. gets nudge to spend N4.5bn on water supply in Warri
The Delta State House of Assembly has approved the sum of four billion, five hundred and forty nine million naira for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to expend on a water supply project in the township city of Warri.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the House approved the sum at plenary sitting on Thursday after Speaker Sherriff Oborevwori read a consideration letter forwarded to the House by the Governor.
According to the letter, Governor Okowa said the State Executive Council at its 19th meeting held on 14th November in 2017 approved the sum performance guarantee by Fidelity Bank on behalf of the state government and for the Delta State government to enter a Federal Government Support Agreement in respect of the Warri/Effurun Water Development Project Concession.
He said the agreement essentially involved the state government granting an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order through the Federal Ministry of Finance to cover the termination amount pursuant to clause thirty one of the concession agreement among others.
The House approved the request of the Governor following a motion moved by the Deputy Majority Oboro Preyor and seconded by Efe Ofobruku.
-
Police kill 2 robbery suspects in Warri
The Delta State Police Command on Tuesday killed two men, who specialised in dispossessing people of their valuables in Warri metropolis.
The spokesman of the command, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Warri.
Aniamaka said that the suspects met their waterloo when they engaged a patrol team of the “A Division” Warri in a gun duel during a robbery on July 2.
He said the incident happened along the Odion Road Junction in Warri.
“At the A Division Warri, following a distress call from a vigilance team that robbers were operating along Odion Road Junction, the crime patrol team rushed to the scene.
“In the course of a gun duel between the suspects and the patrol team, two of the robbers were fatally wounded and they died before getting to the hospital.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include: Ak47 riffle, Ak47 magazine, Infinix and Nokia phones.
“The corpses have been deposited at the morgue.’’
Aniamaka said, however, that some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds.