NO DTS 0382: BAYELSA GOV, DIRI, INAUGURATES PROJECTS IN DELTA
NO DTS 0383: NIGERIA CARES PROGRAMME TAKES OFF IN DELTA
NO DTS 0384: DEPUTY GOV OTUARO WANTS EXPEDITE ACTION ON PASSAGE OF PIB
No DTS 0385: GOV OKOWA PROMISES DELTANS MORE DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY
NO DTS 0386: REELECT ONOYAKE, OTHERS – ITSEKOR TELL UVWIE ELECTORATE
NO DTS 0387: CHUKWUNONSO NWOKO IS THE OBI OF IDUMUJE UGBOKO – ELDERS TELL TRADITIONAL RULERS COMMITTEE
Editor: Johnson Ebigide
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NO DTS 0382: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
BAYELSA GOV, DIRI, INAUGURATES PROJECTS IN DELTA
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has inaugurated two roads and school projects constructed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State in Warri, with a call on Deltans to sustain prevailing peace in the state.
The projects are the Ubeji Access Road in Warri South Local Government Area, access road from NPA to Warri Refinery and Petrochemicals in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area and Ighogbadu Secondary School, Okumagba Layout, Warri.
Diri lauded Governor Okowa for linking communities in the oils rich Warri area with motorable roads and providing functional schools.
According to him, the completion and inauguration of the projects would enhance the economy of the communities and also connect them to other parts of the state.
The Bayelsa State Governor described Governor Okowa as the pride of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and a promise keeper and urged him not to relent in endearing himself to Deltans with his human capital and infrastructural developments.
While pledging sustenance of the symbiotic relationship between Delta and Bayelsa, he called on Deltans to continue to support the governor to enable him record more feats in his commitment to building a Stronger Delta.
In his remarks, Governor Okowa said that the Ubeji and NPA access roads were in terrible conditions, hence the need to reconstruct them to open up the area to other parts of Warri.
He said that the vision of his administration was to restore the lost glory of Warri and environs through roads and other basic amenities.
The governor said that he was aware that roads would fail in Warri and environs, if proper storm drainage was not in place, saying, therefore, that the ongoing storm water drainage project in the town would address the problem when completed in 2022.
He disclosed that the new Technical College in Effurun, under construction, would be completed in June, 2021, while academic work in the school would commence before the end of the year.
While appealing to the people of Uvwie, Ubeji and other residents of the state to remain peaceful, the governor assured that no part of the state would be abandoned in terms of development and empowerment.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, had said that since the present administration came into office, contracts for 452 road projects had been awarded with 282 completed and others nearing completion.
He lauded the two contractors for the road projects for adhering to contractual agreements and pledged government’s readiness to patronising competent contractors.
At Ighogbadu Secondary School, which was established and constructed with state-of-the-art educational facilities by the Okowa-led administration, the governor said that he was as excited as the people of Okere-Urhobo kingdom that his administration was able to deliver the gigantic edifice.
He disclosed that the new school would, no doubt, impact positively on the immediate community, adding that it would save children in the area the pain of having to trek very long distances to access secondary education.
The governor urged the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education to liaise with the community with a view to finding a space for the government to construct additional five-classroom block in the school to address the increasing number of students enrolment in the area.
He said that no amount of money or time spent on providing infrastructure for children in the state would be too much, and reassured the community that the state government was ready and prepared to increase the number of classrooms to enable children in the area to have a befitting place to learn
“I hope and pray that the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education will be able to work with the community to find a space for us to construct extra five class room block to take care of the education of our people.”
“There is no amount of money or time spent on providing infrastructure for our children that will be too much. I want to reassure the community that we are ready and prepared to increase the number of classrooms to enable our children to have a befitting place to learn.”
“I also thank the entire community for being very peaceful. Because of the peace that you have provided, it has become much easier for us to provide the enabling infrastructure and we are truly very happy with the community,” he said.
Okowa added that he was glad that the Monarch of Okere-Urhobo took record that his administration had constructed 29 roads in the domain, saying “I wouldn’t have known at all but we thank God that He (God) has given us the opportunity to do so.”
“We want to promise you that we will continue to do more in the next two years that we still have in office.”
“Our goal is to do the best we can for our people and to leave a solid foundation for the next administration that will come after us.”
“But it is important that we are able to leave a foundation that they can build upon, a foundation that will create hope, a foundation that any administration coming after us will have no choice but to continue to build upon.”
“I want to assure all Deltans that we are going to remain focused even through the next three years and we will not allow politics to distract us from our work.”
“We will continue partnership with the community because we need their partnership in order to be able to deliver on the promises that we had made and we urged them to continue to pray for us.”
He thanked Governor Diri for finding time to come to Delta to inaugurate the projects.
The governor also thanked members of the community for being very peaceful, adding that it was because of the peace that they had provided that made it much easier for the government to provide the enabling infrastructure.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, disclosed that the Ighogbadu Secondary School project was executed according to specifications, adding that with the establishment of the school, Warri South LGA now had 18 secondary schools.
He thanked the governor for giving approval for the building of the school after a town hall meeting in the area some time in 2018, saying that it was a response to the need to train young Deltans towards building a better society.
Earlier, The Orosuen of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, HRM, Emmanuel Okumagba, had thanked the Governor for transforming the area, saying that not less than 29 internal roads had been built in the area within a short time by the Okowa Administration.
“Since 1976, we have not seen any body that has matched your developmental strides in this area within the last six years .We now drive on smooth roads along 29 new streets in Okumagba Layout here,” the monarch said.
NO DTS 0383: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
NIGERIA CARES PROGRAMME TAKES OFF IN DELTA
Delta State Government (DTSG) has fully keyed into the Federal Government and World Bank economic interventionist programme, tagged the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.
This was evident in the setting up and inauguration of the Delta State CARES Steering Committee by His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of the state.
The 9-member committee, which was charged with the responsibility of providing oversight and policy guidelines for the effective implementation of the programme in the state was to be presided over by the Commissioner for Economic Planning in the state, Dr. Barry Gbe, and had the policy heads of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that would be implementing the programme in the state as members with Lady Patience Ogbewe, Director, Overseas Development Assistance Department, Ministry of Economic Planning, as the Secretary and designated state CARES Coordinator.
Besides providing guidance and oversight during the duration of the CARES programme, the Committee would meet frequently to consider issues affecting the programme and take appropriate actions, as well as consider and approve annual work plans.
The committee would also provide periodic updates to the governor every six months, or as may be required.
At the inaugural meeting of the committee, held in Asaba, the state capital, it was revealed that the NG-CARES programme was a short-term response to the economic crisis occasioned by the outbreak of the Corona Virus Pandemic in Nigeria.
Lady Ogbewe said that the Delta COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES) was designed to support budgeted government interventions at the state level, which was to focus on targeting existing and emerging vulnerable and poor households, farmers, as well as micro and small enterprises (MSEs ) affected by the pandemic.
She explained that the Programme Development Objective (PDO) was to expand access to livelihood support and food security services and give grants to the poor and vulnerable households and enterprises.
The programme outlined a two-year financial support to states to achieve results in three main areas.
She disclosed that Result Area 1 was about increasing cash transfers and livelihood support to the poor and vulnerable households by supporting the scaling up of existing safety net interventions at the state level, while the safety net interventions would expand the coverage of social transfers, labour intensive public work opportunities in the social sectors, livelihood grants and social service infrastructure micro projects.
Speaking on Result Area 2, she stated that the focus would be on increasing food security and safe functioning of food supply chain for poor households, adding that It would support scaling up interventions that would help farmers increase food production and facilitate smooth functioning of the food supply chain, just as she said that the interventions supported by Result Area 2 included provision of seeds, fertilizers and agricultural extension services to farmers, opportunities to improve agricultural infrastructure, provision of agricultural inputs to mitigate food loss and upgrading wet markets to allow safe buying and selling of food produce.
The focus of Result Area 3 is on facilitating recovery and enhancing capabilities of medium and small scale enterprises (MSEs).
It would support scaling up interventions that help MSEs, through grants to support post COVID-19 loans, grants to support operational costs and enhance ICT capabilities.
The programme is expected to commence in April 2021 and would run for two years, while for effective and efficient delivery, the it would leverage on existing platforms in the state, such as the State Fadama Coordination Office, Community Driven Development Social Implementation Unit (CDDSIU)and the Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency (DEMSA), among others, in delivering the mandates for the result areas.
Dr. Barry Gbe said that different team leads are expected to develop work plans which their Team Leads would bring to the steering committee for consideration and onward transmission to the State Executive Council for approval. When approved, the Delta CARES Coordinating Unit would be tasked with the responsibility monitoring and reporting progress to the Steering Committee on the implementation activities of the Delivery Platforms.
NO DTS 0384: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
DEPUTY GOV OTUARO WANTS EXPEDITE ACTION ON PASSAGE OF PIB
The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, has called on the National Assembly (NASS) to expedite action on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill to alleviate the sufferings of oil producing communities.
Otuaro made this appeal while receiving members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) at Warri in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.
Otuaro expressed sadness that the environment of the oil bearing communities and their only means of livelihood in the Niger Delta have been adversely eroded as a result of oil exploration and exploitation activities over the years without corrective measures.
This he said has “invariably affected the aquatic lives and farms of the host communities.”
“I am happy about the on going debate in the PIB bill so that the communities can have their fair share of the oil deal, that is just natural , because everything about their aquatic culture and farming is completely gone,” Otuaro stated.
” We saw crude oil littering the river while driving through the Escravos river, everywhere is just polluted, the means of livelihood of the people is completely gone and it is just natural and fair that something is done to alleviate the sufferings of the people,” he said.
Addressing press men after his visit to some oil bearing communities in Delta State, at Okerenkoko Jetty, the Co- Chairman of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, (PIB), Rt. Honourable Muhammad Mongono, said, “the essence of the visit is to come and see the extent of degradation, occasioned by the exploration and exploitation of oil in the communities with a view to taking the necessary steps towards ameliorating the situation. “
He also disclosed that the present proposal before the floor of the House was to set aside 2.5 percent of oil earnings to address the degradation of oil producing communities, occasioned by the constant exploration and exploitation of oil.
” Right now, the proposal before the floor of the House is for 2.5 percent, but there is agitations on the part of the host communities for it to be increase to 5 percent. “
He pointed out that with “regards to the issues of the PIB, I assure you that there is the will, determination and enthusiasm on the part of the executive and legislators to pass this bill, with the speed of light.”
He emphasised that the need to expressly pass the PIB had become necessary, stressing that no institution could thrive in the absence of peace.
His words, ” this is as a result of the fact that there is the need for us to have peace in the Niger Delta so that the exploration of oil will be done without hindrance and with all the attendant effects of bringing more revenue to the country for the purpose of deploying it to an infrastructural needs.”
He added that the world was moving from fusil fuel to renewables, adding that there was the need for the country to maximally use the instrumentality of PIB and move to oil and gas operations conformity with the internationally best practices and make it more competitive to attract the much needed investments.”
Asked if he would help canvas for the 5 percent as agitated for by host communities, he said in affirmation that haven gone round some of the oil bearing communities in Delta State, there was no amount of resources deployment that could be too much for its development, considering the level of devastation done on the oil bearing communities.
” And from what I have seen, I am not averse to giving them five percent, because haven seen the level of degradation to the environment, no meaningful farming activities can be done here, the acqua lives have been destroyed, no acqua culture, and it is as a result of oil exploration and exploitation in their environment. No amount of resources deployed can be too much, because the whole country depend on these communities for survival. So i am not averse to 5 percent. We are going to canvas actively for it as a committee,” he reassured.
NO DTS 0385: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
GOV OKOWA PROMISES DELTANS MORE DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY
By Ambrose Ologide
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has promised Deltans and residents in the state more dividends of democracy before he leaves office in 2023.
The governor made the promise in his address during the commissioning of the access road from NPA to Warri Refinery and Petrol Chemicals in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area.
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Duoye Diri, officially commissioned the project on Tuesday, March, 2021.
While urging the people of Uvwie, residents and Deltans to remain peaceful, he assured that no part of the state would be left undeveloped.
Governor Okowa also gladly disclosed that the on going work in the Technical College in Effurun in the area would be completed commissioned in June this year.
In Warri South Local Government Area where Ighogbadu Secondary School in Okere Urhobo Kingdom was commissioned, Governor Okowa promised to restore the lost glory of Warri as an oil bearing city.
He assured that he would remain focused and would not allow politics to distract him from developing the state.
He stressed the importance of partnering with communities in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to them, adding that there was the urgent need for the communities in the state to continue to support and pray for his administration, towards the actualisation of the Stronger Delta vision of the state government.
The Commissioner For Basic and Secondary Education, in the state, Chief Patrick Ukah, remarked that the project was executed according to specifications.
HRM ( Sir ) Emmanuel Ono Okumagba ( JP), Okumagba 11, the Orosuen ( traditional ruler ) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, in his address appreciated Governor Okowa for his developmental strides in the area, mostly on road construction, adding that Okere Urhobo Kingdom had never had it so good.
NO DTS 0386: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
REELECT ONOYAKE, OTHERS – ITSEKOR TELL UVWIE ELECTORATE
By Ambrose Ologide
The Public Relations Officer ( PRO) of Uvwie Restoration, Comrade Freeborn Itsekor, has urged the electorates in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State to reelect the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) Chairmanship candidate in the March 6, 2021 local government elections, Honourable Ramson Tega Onoyake and also vote for party councillorship candidates.
He stated that there was the need for Honourable Onoyake to continue with his laudable agenda for Uvwie Local Government Area.
Itsekor who scored Honourable Onoyake high in peace , security and infrastructural among other areas of developments in his first tenure , stressed the need to consolidate on these achievements.
The PRO also stressed the need for the locality to align with the Delta State PDP and to appreciate Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his patronage, particularly in appointments and infrastructural developments in the area.
” The only way to do this is to vote for Honourable Onoyake and all PDP councillorship candidates one hundred percent in the forthcoming local government council elections,” he added.
He advised those who could not make it in the party’s primaries to join hands for the political advancement of Uvwie Local Government Area, adding that” We are one political family, there is no victor, no vanquished in our party’s primaries.”
Itsekor used the opportunity to commend executives and members of Uvwie United for their immense contributions to the peace and security in the area.
He also urged people in the area to always embrace peace and unity in the interest of the development of not only the community, but the state and beyond.
NO DTS 0387: ASABA, NIGERIA WEDNESDAY MARCH 3, 2021
CHUKWUNONSO NWOKO IS THE OBI OF IDUMUJE UGBOKO – ELDERS TELL TRADITIONAL RULERS COMMITTEE
By Austin’s Enunwa.
The elders of Ogbe Obi Village in Idumuje Ugboko , Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State has again reminded the Chairman, Aniocha North traditional Rulers Committee, Obi Jideuwe of Issele Asagba, that Idumuje Ugboko had an Obi that was only waiting for the recognition of the state government through the official presentation of staff of office.
This was contained in a statement signed by each Diokpa of the Idumus in Ogbe Obi and other elders on behalf of the people of the community.
the statement added that at no time was the throne vacant, saying that it was purely “our duty as a community to tell the world who our obi is. “
The statement affirmed that the Obi of Idumuje Ugboko was Chukwunoso Nwoko : ” he was the crown prince and never can there be two crown princes at any time .”
The committee was admonished to refrain from deluding the state government so that peace would return to the community.
The Diokpas that signed the statement included the followings:
1 Diokpa umu Aluya Sunday Bama,
2 Diokpa Idumu obodo ,Fada Aniagwu,
3 Diokpa Idumu Ugo Patrick Monye,
4 Isama of Idumuje Ugboko , Chigbogwu Akamagwuna, and
5 Ozoma of Idumuje Ugboko , Aniegboke Nwoko.
