NO DTS 0390: NDDC TO COMPLETE EMEVOR-OROGUN ROAD SOON – ENGR. OHWAVBORUA
NO DTS 0391: HOW BROWN YAGEP MOVED ME FROM STAGNATION TO GROWTH – BENEFICIARY
NO DTS 0392: DTSG EXPRESSES HOPE OF SUCCESS ON COVID-19 VACCINATION EXERCISE
No DTS 0393: RESIDENTS WANT TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN EFFURUN REPAIRED
NO DTS 0394: OVERSPEEDING CAR KNOCKS DOWN PUPIL, WOMAN At JAKPA
NO DTS 0395: PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS SKYROCKET IN WARRI, UVWIE
Editor: Johnson Ebigide
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NO DTS 0390: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
NDDC TO COMPLETE EMEVOR-OROGUN ROAD SOON – ENGR. OHWAVBORUA
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) said it would fast rack the construction of the Emevor-Orogun Road in Isoko North and Ughelli North Local Government areas of Delta State.
The Delta State Director of the NDDC, Engr. Audu Ohwavborua disclosed this during an inspection of the road at Emevor.
Ohwavborua said the Forensic Audit of the NDDC would soon be submitted and a proper board constituted for the commission.
He said that the problem of the road was lack of capacity on the side of the contractors awarded the road, but assured that he would ensure that the road was put on the priority list of projects of the commission to fast track its completion.
He directed the contractors to return to site, assuring that their certificates would be processed for payment on the condition that they returned to site.
“Let me say that the problem of the NDDC is that we haven’t been able to develop to the point where our indigenous contractors can comfortably compete with the multinationals.”
“As an institution we haven’t done well too for the people of the Niger Delta, but I can assure you that with the Forensic Audit coming out soon, we will overcome that set back,” he stated.
In his remark, the Commissioner representing Isoko Ethnic Nationality in the Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Dr Paul Oweh, said that the road had become an embarrassment to the community and urged the NDDC to do everything possible to ensure its completion.
Also speaking, the President General of Emevor Community, Sir Moses Agboro, said that the community would remain grateful to the NDDC if the Emevor-Orogun Road was completed.
A member of the Emevor Infrastructural Committee, Professor Roland Ubogu, said that with the visit of the NDDC director to the project, there was light at the end of the tunnel.
He called on leaders in the community to cooperate to ensure prompt delivery of the project.
NO DTS 0391: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
HOW BROWN YAGEP MOVED ME FROM STAGNATION TO GROWTH – BENEFICIARY
By Gertrude Onyekachukwu-Uteh
Elemokwu Joy hails from Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State and is an Architect by profession. She is the CEO of Divine Cristal Agro-Allied Services, located in Asaba, the state capital. Joy is a Brown YAGEPreneur, a beneficiary of the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) of the Delta State Government. She shares her story of how the support package she received through Brown YAGEP grew her business.
“Immediately after I had my second child, a friend of mine advised me to begin a business that would augment my salary as my family was expanding. Then I was working in an Architectural firm, I thought about it and decided to go into poultry. I bought 10 broilers from the market and only 4 survived. I learnt from that experience, sought knowledge and bought 25 out of which I was able to rear 24 to maturity. Subsequently, I bought 100-day old broilers and the success rate was high which greatly encourage me to continue to invest in the business.”
“One of the challenges I faced was feed, how to buy feeds for my broilers. To overcome this hurdle, I decided to bring it to my environment by selling poultry feeds. Immediately I did that, people were happy, commending me for bringing solution to the problem of going long distances to buy feeds. Gradually, I saw the need to expand to poultry vaccine. Apart from being a poultry farmer, I also sell poultry feeds and vaccines.”
“Fortunately, support came my way through the Delta State Government’s Brown YAGEP. The job creation bureau came looking for already existing farmers. I was interested and got enrolled. YAGEP officers inspected my structure. Having met their criteria, I was supported with 400-day old broilers and 150 bags of feeds given by instalments to ensure that the feeds do not expire and for effective monitoring of my farm. This support package transformed my business. I was able to bring them up to table size. From the proceeds, I acquire a land of 100 x 50 for six hundred and fifty thousand naira. I continued to stock and restock till date; I have diversified into layer birds too. My target is that by the end of 2021, there should be a structure on the land to enable me to relocate from our residence and a rented incomplete building to a permanent poultry farm where I can increase my stock.”
“Another major challenge I encountered was that I was always at the mercy of market women who would want to buy less than my production cost. This got me thinking. The idea of grilling came, and my husband advised me to engage a caterer to train me on best practises on meat spicing. Thereafter, I bought deep freezers and two giant grilling ovens. I now slaughter and freeze my chicken. I only sell life broilers to market women occasionally. I started grilling and packaging them for sale. I currently supply grilled chicken to some supermarkets. People call to encourage me for adding value to the agricultural value chain. At the South-South Export Enlightenment and Engagement Forum, I met with exporters who promised to expose me on how best to reduce the moisture content of my product to increase the shelf life, improve the packaging and to make it exportable. I am also researching on it on my own.”
“This is where I am. From being someone who did not know where the next meal would come from, I am now an employer of labour. I have two employees, a male and a female. The male takes care of the shop while the female takes cares of the poultry. I appreciate Okowa for the initiative and the job creation bureau for identifying me when I least expected it. Without the support package, I would not have realised my potentials. The YAGEP support package I received from the state government has moved my business from stagnation to growth,” the happy beneficiary enthused.
NO DTS 0392: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
DTSG EXPRESSES HOPE OF SUCCESS ON COVID-19 VACCINATION EXERCISE
By Ewomazino Egbo
Ahead of the takeoff of the Phase 1 of the Covid-19 vaccination exercise in the state, the Delta State Government has expressed its readiness towards achieving success in the vaccination exercise.
Speaking during the state Planning Meeting for Covid-19 vaccination, the Chairman of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA), Dr Isioma Okobah, said that the state through the agency had put all necessary resources and logistics in place to ensure a successful vaccination exercise.
Dr. Okobah said that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was keen on the implementation of the exercise, adding that it would not only reduce cases of deaths and other health issues from Covid-19 but would prevent loss of manpower occasioned by restrictions and lock downs.
“His Excellency is doing everything possible to make sure all hindrances are taken care off, including upgrading of the state cold store and provision of required funds necessary for the campaign,” Dr. Okobah stated.
She assured the national and development partners, deployed to the state, of the commitment of the state health workforce, adding that they were dedicated, hardworking and reliable.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of DSPHCDA, Dr Winful-Orieke Jude, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the forthcoming campaign exercise on the vaccination.
He said that a number of activities, such as advocacy to relevant stakeholders, Cold Chain assessment, sensitisation and awareness creation as well as line listing of Front line health care workers that formed parts of the phase 1 of the vaccination exercise had been carried out by the agency.
The Executive director urged Deltans to accept the Covid-19 vaccine, adding that it was safe, effective and certified by NAFDAC.
Earlier the National Primary Health Care Development Agency ( NPHCDA)Team, lead by Dr. Obi Emelife, said that they were in the state to strengthen the existing medical structures and provide technical assistance before, during and after the phase 1 implementation of Covid-19 vaccination exercise.
Dr. Emelife revealed that the phase 1 vaccination exercise which was injectable, would be implemented within ten days (10) and involved fixed post, temporary fixed post and special teams as strategy towards reaching the target persons.
NO DTS 0393: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
RESIDENTS WANT TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN EFFURUN REPAIRED
By Henry Aghoghovbia
Residents , particularly motorists in Effurun, have appealed to the relevant authorities to effect repairs on the malfunctioning traffic lights at Jakpa Junction in Effurun , Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
Those who spoke on the issue complained that the traffic lights at the PTI and Jakpa roads of the junction had gone bad for over one week, with some others noting that the absence of traffic wardens in the evenings and at weekends had compounded the issue.
They also complained that the unwholesome driving attitude of some motorists had made the traffic situation more chaotic, adding that such motorists drove on the wrong lanes during traffic logjams in the area.
NO DTS 0394: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
OVERSPEEDING CAR KNOCKS DOWN PUPIL, WOMAN At JAKPA
By Faith Obaro.
A pupil of a popular private school and a woman in Wawere have been knocked down by an over speeding car on the Jakpa Road, by the Ekpan General Hospital, Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
The pupil was said to be standing by her parents in a close distance to the woman when they were knocked down by the speeding car from the opposite direction.
They were said to have sustained serious injuries and were consequently rushed to the nearby General Hospital in Ekpan for medical attentions.
It would be recalled that residents in the area had appealed to relevant authorities for construction of speed breakers at the Ekpan General Hospital to the Zenith Bank areas of the ever busy road to reduce overspending of motor vehicles on the road.
NO DTS 0395: ASABA, NIGERIA THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2021
PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS SKYROCKET IN WARRI, UVWIE
By Ambrose Ologide
The survey of the prices of cow meat, tomatoes, onions and other essential foodstuffs in some markets visited in Warri and Uvwie Local Government areas of Delta State has shown that prices of such items have suddenly gone up.
The survey indicated that one pound weight of cow meat that used to sell for #650 (six hundred and fifty naira) was sold for #1,200 ( one thousand, two hundred naira), an apparent rise of 100 %.
A basket of fresh tomatoes that used to sell for #7,000 (seven thousand naira) was being sold for #18,000 (eighteen thousand naira), which indicated about 150 % increment, just as a basket of onions had similar price indices.
Some food vendors, popularly known as ‘ mamas put’ complained bitterly that their businesses were adversely affected in terms of low patronage of customers.
A renowned public opinion leader , Chief Peter Asagba, who is the MD/ CEO of the prestigious Casa De Pedro Hotels at the Refinery Road in Effurun stated that it was a call for southerners to go into poultry or ranching, adding that cows that were breaded through ranching were more healthcare and cheaper.
The Chairman of Mile 11 Security Organisation, Igbudu Market, Warri, Comrade Okpako Onoriobe, maintained that the sudden rise in the price of cow meat was due to artificial scarcity of the essential, caused by some northern elements for their selfish and unpatriotic reasons.
He called on the Federal Government to wade into the issue urgently.
In his contribution, a POS operator in Effurun , Eugene Oji urged governors of southern states to encourage local famers in the production of tomatoes , onions and pepper, noting that the species of pepper produced in Igbodo Community in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State were better than the ones produced in Northern Nigeria.
