₦airaland Forum

kel4soft: Sufferation mocking the Restoration slogan. Hahahaha. U don leave SAYELBA Facebook page come here. Sadly, this is the wrong place to talk about decay in Bayelsa State because any such thread is seen as anti-GEJ one

Hahaha, Bro. Things must change. Goodluck is the president of Nigeria and not Bayelsa just cos he's from there. Over here we are really suffering. The state is being governed through media propaganda. The world must know the true situation of things in Bayelsa.
NB: I'm a fan of GEJ but unfortunately I will not sit and watch my darling state being bastardized by some group of furuocrats and egberiocrats who are enforcing retrogression.

BlackTechnology: Yes its possible

Bayelsa can attain socioeconomic prosperity if

1) She through her formal and informal education system.

a) Introduce " Personal socio-financial management and its impacts on the socioeconomic prosperity of Bayelsa " as a subject in her primary secondary and higher public/ private schools.

In this subject, real life assumptions should be used to teach the students to see how their personal management of their socio-finance lifestyle can impact positively or negatively on Bayelsa's socioeconomic prosperity.

Real life assumption
Eg Taiwo's family ( man and his wife) both earn #150000 per month . They decided to have 2 kids only, live in a less expensive house and buy a car that is less expensive to maintain. This enabled them to save and invest #50000 every month for 10yrs which amounted to at least 8million naira enabling them to invest in a bread factory that employs 10 Staff and generate a monthly income after expenses of #300,000 monthly.The next 10yrs of their working lives, the #300,000 from the bread business generated every month and the #50,000 they save were used to
i) Build their own house
ii) Create other businesses which generated additional 20 jobs

Dayo's family earns #150 000 monthly . They have 5 children, lived in a costly apartment, and sent their kids to a very expensive school. They were only able to save and invest 20, 000 naira every month for 10yrs which amounted to 4million naira which they used to build a house. The next 10 yrs of their working life, they acquired shares treasury bills etc and retired.


At the end of the day, the students will be asked to pick which of the two that ended up impacting positively or negatively on Bayelsa's socioeconomic prosperity.


With this real life assumptions , the people will be wise in socio financial matters.

Very good suggestion

barcanista: What of Timi Alaibe? Though I don't like his face but we need a break from the Jonathan's and cabal grip

Timi Alaibe's a sellout. We need fresh blood.

barcanista: Amen. Who are the Candidates this time?

No one has really declared his/her intention to run but Dickson and his cartel have been going on fruitless endorsement tours for a second term of lately.

barcanista: Op
The situation of Bayelsa State is a pathetic one. Bayelsa happens to be the exclusive Ijaw State that we have at present, it is also seen as a home to every Ijaws. Unfortunately, her government has been mediocres and perpetual failures. First it was Alamesiagha Depriye, who engage in laudable human development policies and infrastrutural development before his disgraceful exit. Since his exit from Government house in 2005, his successors had been plunging the state into further misery.
The Goodluck Jonathan Administration was pathetic that couldn't maintain the policies of his predecessor and his boss.
Then comes Sylva Timpre who only go about gallavanting without any vision nor progress.
After his unceremoneous exit came the Chief Stooge and Joke Seriake Dickson. This man who's also the incumbent has bastardized the economy of the Great Bayelsa State. What do you expect from a man that had no reasonable manifesto during the electioneering period? A big shame.
Meanwhile this State Bayelsa has one of the least population, the have the least number of LG but receive the Second Highest in terms of Federal Allocation. At a point Bayelsa state receive even more than Rivers State( her sister state), Lagos State, Kano State etc

But I am confident that Bayelsa will rise again. I am confident that patriots will takeover the mantle of Leadership from clueless people of Jonathan, Sylva and Dickson. We need someone in the mould of DSP Alams but without corruption mentality.

I believe in Bayelsa
I believe In Ijaw prowess

Yes my brother we shall overcome all this very soon... My happiness is that 2016 is not too far ahead. I pray everyday as the elections draw closer Bayelsans don't sell their votes for peanuts and end up suffering for the next four years again as we are doing now.

For more than two years now the economy of Bayelsa has been in perpetual penury. Civil servants and ordinary folks have been worse hit. Salaries of civil servants both at the state and local government level have been drastically reduced as a result of taxes imposed on workers by government. Let's not also forget that Bayelsa can be best termed a civil servants state where bulk of its workforce are civil servants and depend on government. Ordinary folks and unemployed Bayelsans are not left out because they are finding things really hard in the state. Sometime ago an SSA in the state wrote on social media lauding the fact that in bayelsa state those that were driving SUVs and other exotic cars can no longer maintain it and have resorted to packing it in their garage, he was also happy that Bayelsa is fast becoming a state of low income earners due to the economic hardship notwithstanding that Bayelsa is one of the highest receivers of federal allocation and richest as a result of its huge oil and gas deposite, but unfortunately this feat have not been reciprocated in the lives of its people.

Government have continuously blamed the current economic hardship and all its woes on dwindling federal allocation even though it has launched different economic policies which it said are all aimed at making the state self sufficient and less dependent on oil.

In respect to these policies Bayelsans have seen the setting up of different government owned business enterprises like Niger-Delta sea foods limited, re-organised Bayelsa oil palm limited, Bayelsa dredging and construction company, state owned fish ponds, Bayelsa plastic company, state owned rice farms and cassava farms etc
In the just concluded economic forum government revealed that it has made available billions of naira for SMEs operating in the state and those intending to start their own small scale businesses, but going to months now no tangible guideline have been given on how to access the funds and this has put into question government's sincerity in tackling the increasing menace of unemployment. Just of recent the CBN released the sum of N220b to fund SMEs in the 36 states.

So far the above points have triggered my consciousness to ask the following questions:

Now with all these business enterprises and monies allegedly provided by government to boast the economic fortunes of Bayelsa why is the state still sinking deep into an economic abyss and retrogressing economically?

Are our economic woes as a results of government's unseriousness to match their words with concrete actions, the business ventures are not properly set up or policies were not properly formulated?

Is it that government is sabotaging its own economic policies deliberately as a result of widespread corruption in government? (#furuocracy)
NB: This also brings to bear the reluctance of government to formally inaugurate the Bayelsa state anti-corruption commission.

Finally, when is Bayelsa state going to be self sufficient and less dependent on black gold (oil)?

#sufferation

For more than two years now the economy of Bayelsa has been in perpetual penury. Civil servants and ordinary folks have been worse hit. Salaries of civil servants both at the state and local government level have been drastically reduced as a result of taxes imposed on workers by government. Let's not also forget that Bayelsa can be best termed a civil servants state where bulk of its workforce are civil servants and depend on government. Ordinary folks and unemployed Bayelsans are not left out because they are finding things really hard in the state. Sometime ago an SSA in the state wrote on social media lauding the fact that in bayelsa state those that were driving SUVs and other exotic cars can no longer maintain it and have resorted to packing it in their garage, he was also happy that Bayelsa is fast becoming a state of low income earners due to the economic hardship notwithstanding that Bayelsa is one of the highest receivers of federal allocation and richest as a result of its huge oil and gas deposite, but unfortunately this feat have not been reciprocated in the lives of its people.

Government have continuously blamed the current economic hardship and all its woes on dwindling federal allocation even though it has launched different economic policies which it said are all aimed at making the state self sufficient and less dependent on oil.

In respect to these policies Bayelsans have seen the setting up of different government owned business enterprises like Niger-Delta sea foods limited, re-organised Bayelsa oil palm limited, Bayelsa dredging and construction company, state owned fish ponds, Bayelsa plastic company, state owned rice farms and cassava farms etc
In the just concluded economic forum government revealed that it has made available billions of naira for SMEs operating in the state and those intending to start their own small scale businesses, but going to months now no tangible guideline have been given on how to access the funds and this has put into question government's sincerity in tackling the increasing menace of unemployment. Just of recent the CBN released the sum of N220b to fund SMEs in the 36 states.

So far the above points have triggered my consciousness to ask the following questions:

Now with all these business enterprises and monies allegedly provided by government to boast the economic fortunes of Bayelsa why is the state still sinking deep into an economic abyss and retrogressing economically?

Are our economic woes as a results of government's unseriousness to match their words with concrete actions, the business ventures are not properly set up or policies were not properly formulated?

Is it that government is sabotaging its own economic policies deliberately as a result of widespread corruption in government? (#furuocracy)
NB: This also brings to bear the reluctance of government to formally inaugurate the Bayelsa state anti-corruption commission.

Finally, when is Bayelsa state going to be self sufficient and less dependent on black gold (oil)?

#sufferation

Since becoming a student of the prestigious Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, it has been a thing of joy for me.

Yet being a Student of an Institution some people outside and within the state (who in most cases are not even worthy of tying the shoe laces of its students intellectually) see as a glorified secondary school due to its infrastructural deficit can be demoralizing at times.

The University has been in existence for more than 10 years now. And is thus been expected to enjoy a facelift giving that it is owned by one of the richest states in the country.

Painfully, the above expectation has not been met, due largely to corruption by stakeholders and government that have stunted the growth of the institution. I can go on and on to speak of the decay in NDU, but that is not why I am writing today.

The raison d’ etat for this piece is to express my displeasure over the timid, insipid, lacklustre, rudderless and subservient leadership of student unions in Bayelsa State.

Daily, it is becoming harder to distinguish between our so called Student leaders, who aspire to be tomorrow’s leaders and the Politicians of today. Whereas in other places, Student leaders protect the interest of students, ours are either to docile to demand for the rights of students or connive with the Oppressors to cheat their fellow students. It is not so elsewhere!  

In Lagos State for instance, when the state government increased the school fees of state owned Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, we saw how the students through their unions expressed their dissatisfaction not just by words but by actions.

They boycotted classes, took to other forms of expressing their disappointment by PEACEFULLY demonstrating to the Government House at Alausa: sleeping at its entrance, cooking and praying there.

All these actions taken by the students were geared towards pressuring the state government to revert to the former school fees so education can be affordable and accessible to all.

Weeks later the Governor of that state announced a slight reduction of the fees but it still didn’t go down well with the students and they still continued their protest for full reinstatement of the former fees.

Demonstrations continued and took other forms particularly in the social media and as the students will have it they won. After weeks of consultations and dialogue the Governor was persuaded to revert to the former school fees.

The LASU scenario is a perfect example of how a student leadership is supposed to operate, fight and protect the interest of her students.

Student leadership in Niger Delta University and Bayelsa State in general is nothing to write home about. Most of the people we have at the helms of affairs running these unions are puppets and sycophants who dance to the tune of the Government that throws crumbs their way.

The main orientation and preoccupation of some of these so called Student leaders is how to device schemes to exploit their fellow students, whose interest and wellbeing they are supposed to protect. They are more concerned with milking money from their fellow students; visiting the offices of politicians to beg money and looking for one politician or the other to get patronage from at the detriment of their fellow students.

Last year, on Radio Bayelsa before the ASUU strike I listened with keen interest, hope and optimism as the chairman of the Bayelsa States Scholarship Board gave Students assurance that in the next couple of weeks bursary will be paid to students of Bayelsa origin in higher institutions within the country.

According to him Undergraduates, who form the bulk of the expected Bursary recipients, were to be paid N30,000 each. I and other Students waited as the couple of weeks turned into couple of months, hoping that the Government will keep its word. But nothing was done to that effect.

Just of recent the state government announced again that it will soon start the remittance of bursary payment to students of Bayelsa origin.

Unfortunately, while we still patiently await the payment, we are now hearing that we will be paid only N15,000 each which is half of the original amount of N30,000 announced prior to now by Dr Ogola. What is worse, we will be paid for just a session only.

According to reports, authorities say payment will be in batches of which this is the first.

As far as I am concerned this is a ploy and a systematic way to exclude majority of students from receiving the bursary; and these student leaders know this but have decided to keep quite because perhaps, they are going to benefit from it.

My distrust for the government stems from its history of bold Public pronouncements and many broken promises. For instance, in the past it has made declaration of what it will do in NDU. It even ‘awarded’ a N6billion contract for infrastructural development in the school but till date, nothing has been done not even a single shovel is on site. The roads in the new campus (Lulu Briggs campus) are all in a dilapidated condition despite all the media hype to the contrary.  Yet, the Government runs to the Press Claiming that it has constructed a road linking the Old and new Campuses of the University. Who is to say an announcement cannot be made now claiming that students have already been paid their Bursary?

In all these happenings, to the chagrin of the generality of Bayelsa State Students in NDU, our student leaders have been blind, deaf and dumb to the plight of students whom they claim to lead.

It will also be recalled that Bayelsa state students on scholarship abroad were not paid their allowances and stipends for many months. Some were even arrested in their country of study because they tried to work as against their study permit due to the hardship imposed on them by their sponsor (the Bayelsa State Government). In all the tribulations that befall these students National Union of Bayelsa State Students (NUBSS) was nowhere to be found: nothing was heard from them. They were rather busy looking for ways to make money via dues than to serve.

 

As against this partiality that is about to be meted out to students in other higher institutions of learning in the country who are from Bayelsa that are not going to benefit from this payment the SUG, NUBSS, e .t. c are supposed to dialogue and if it fails they mobilize the students to physically express our dissatisfaction over the issue as observed in other climes like the LASU experience until it is all inclusive. But our student leaders are very lazy, they are sycophants, they lack ideas, live on past glory and rather eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of the #egberiocrats

I normally tell those that care to listen not to let any politician deceive them that Bayelsa State doesn’t have money. THERE IS MONEY IN BAYELSA. The problem is that greedy, selfish and waterside mentality infested #furuocrats have vowed to ‘kidnap’ our commonwealth for themselves, cronies and family members. There is enough money in Bayelsa to meet our needs, if well managed; but just not enough to feed the monster greed of the #Furuocrats ruining the state. Bayelsa State has now been transformed (or should I say restored0 into the private estate of these #Furuocratic #egberiocrats who complain of financial hardship but still spend billions of Naira on frivolities.

As the late Literary Titan, Chinua Achebe puts it “Leadership is a sacred trust like the priesthood in civilized, humane religions. No one gets into it lightly or unadvisedly, because it demands qualities of mind and discipline of body and will far beyond the needs of the ordinary citizen. Any who offers himself or herself or is offered to society for leadership must be aware of the unusually high demands of the role and should, if in any doubt whatsoever, firmly refuse the prompting.” So I say it is better not to have Student Unions at all than to have Unions peopled by morally bankrupt youths who are always in bed with the oppressors of their fellow students.


The foregoing leave me with no alternative but conclude that the National Union of Bayelsa State Students (NUBSS), Student Union Government in NDU and all other student Unions both in NDU and other Institutions of higher learning in Bayelsa should be disbanded, denounced or boycotted by Students.

I am calling on all well-meaning students of Bayelsa State origin and elsewhere schooling in the state to boycott membership of these unions because they are not in our best interest. And if anyone tries to coerce you into any Union, sue him or her. NUBSS, SUG et al are not compulsory organizations. The only organisation in human society that has the legal right to compel your compulsory membership is the STATE! Every other organisation is voluntary.

#sufferation

Source: http://sayelbatimes./2014/08/20/why-nubss-and-sug-should-be-disbanded-by-yebufura-abanze-tonbara/

ogbenicodes: this pictures can be anywhere...

But if this is true, one particular man is from OTUOKE, in 'little' Bayelsa.. And they want to transform Nigeria?? Make I hear word!


SAYELBA TIMES?? But why now?! you go fear names of blogs!

These pictures were exclusively taken by Sayelba Times to show the world how Bayelsans have been suffering. Its really unfortunate that we have a government that doesn't really care about its people. Goodluck Jonathan is the president of Nigeria not Bayelsa, he has the whole country to cater for not only Bayelsa. We have a governor who collects billions every month but noting to show.

Yenagoa – Heavy rains in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, has led to flooding in the city’s residential neighborhoods forcing residents to flee their homes.

Residents claim that the flood is caused by the lack of a working drainage system in the city and unplanned construction embarked by the Bayelsa State Government. This opinion is also shared by experts. A town planner who wants to remain anonymous noted that water levels is not suppose to lead to flooding at this time of the year. SAYELBA TIMES was unable to measure the water level but residents in residential estates in Kpansia, Biogbolo, Okutukutu, Ekeki, Okaka and Onopa were seen pumping water out of their homes.

There have been no attempts by the city authorities to address the flooding. Efforts to reach the Bayelsa State Capital City Development Authority proved abortive as the official telephone numbers provided by the authorities were switched off at the time of filing this report.

Bayelsa State received about N95,75 Billion (Ninety Five Billion, Seventy Five Million Naira) from the federation account from January to June 2014. This is the third highest allocation to any state in Nigeria. Yet, residents continue to complain about poor development in the state.

Health Workers in the city warned that the current flooding is a health and sanitation hazard that could led to an epidemic. In Onopa, the lower part of the community that is on the bank of the epie creek is completely submerged under water, reports says.

Credit: http://sayelbatimes./2014/09/13/heavy-rains-in-yenagoa-force-residents-out-of-their-homes/

BILL CLINTON’S VISIT TO BAYELSA STATE: A BLESSING OR CURSE? – by Fortune God’sSon Alfred

The Bayelsa Social Media scene has been buzzing with the reports from the Government’s Social Media players that Ex U.S. President, Bill Clinton is billed to deliver the keynote address titled “unlocking Bayelsa State’s economic potential: Opportunities and challenges,” on July 16, 2014, at the state's two-day maiden Investment and Economic Forum, which will hold from the 16th - 18th of July, 2014 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State of Nigeria.

According to the Programme of event, “The three-day interactive forum will culminate in a dinner consisting of Bayelsan delicacies cooked by renowned celebrity chef Ian Mancias. Mancias has previously worked and cooked for the Royal Family of England and the ruler of Dubai and was recently nominated in the world’s best hotel and restaurant chef’s category by the Culinary Beard foundation of New York. Chef Ian also created the concept for the worlds first under sea restaurant “Ithaa” on Rangali Island in the Maldives.
Entertainment to be provided by Nigeria’s own Asa, Timi Dakolo, Timaya and Ice Prince, winner of BET award for best African international act.
Proposed International Speakers: Mr. Bill Clinton (Former President, United States) …”

Some have enthused that Mr Clinton’s coming is an indication of the recognition that the State has been getting from the International Economic community following the formal opening of the London Office of its Investment vehicle, the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation, which is located in 13 Charles II Street Piccadilly SW1Y 4QU a highbrow area of London that is familiar to those who play the game of Monopoly.
On its face value, the visit of a former US President, especially one as popular as Clinton, to a backward society like Bayelsa State should be a cause for celebration. This is because it is not always that we have VIPs like him coming to grace public events in our state. Thus, his high profile will be used as Soundbites in the days to come.
However, to discerning SAYELBANS, this is another moment to mourn the pitiable and abject conditions of our dearly beloved state.

We mourn because we know that there is absolutely nothing to be gained from Mr Clinton’s visit to this impoverished state apart from the photos that will be taken with him and the speech he will deliver.

We mourn because from the programme of event, it is clear that the Main Street Bayelsan is not invited to this event that boasts of top class entertainment and feasting, even though he will be the one to bear the entire cost of the event via heavy taxation.

We mourn because we know that there will be no difference between Former President Clinton’s visit to Bayelsa and Kim Kardeshian’s appearance in Lagos for a Valentines’s Day show.

We mourn because we know that rather than contribute to our economy, President Clinton’s visit will take Bayelsa State -a state that has not been able to provide drinking water for its citizen’s after over 17 years of existence and receiving Billions of Dollars as Federal Statutory Allocations from Oil and Gas sales – aback by some huge sums that could have been used to enhance the quality of life of the citizenry of the state.

Our objection to Clinton’s visit for this event stems from our knowledge that Clinton’s speeches are not delivered free of charge. According to CNN, he earned the sum of $700,000 for a March (2011) speech delivered to a local newspaper publishing company in Lagos, Nigeria. He ended up raking in $13.4 million from speeches that year and exceeded his previous record by 25%.

Washington Post also reported in 2013 that “In the past 11 years since his presidency, he (Clinton) has earned $89 million from paid speeches averaging $189,000 per event.”
We do not think that the same Mr Clinton who charged a mere Local Newspaper Publishing Company the sum of $700,000 will be coming Bayelsa State, one of the states that receive the highest share of the Federally distributed Oil revenues without charging the State government a huge fee.

Giving the closeness of our Public information systems, we may never get our state Government to tell us how much Mr Clinton’s visit will cost our state which incidentally has one of the highest poverty rates in Nigeria. But God Bless America, just as we get to know today how much a Nigeria Local newspaper paid him in 2011 to bless them with his presidential presence, we shall one day get the figures for our state.

At this juncture, it is pertinent to note that we are aware that some may wonder why we have decided to focus on Bill Clinton even though he is not the only guest. Well, to such folks, we say wonder no more. We focus on Clinton because we believe that being a former President of the greatest nation on Earth he should know better than show up in circus like this event that will not add anything meaningful to the qualitative cum quantitative improvement of the standard of living of the citizens of the State whose government had invited him. We believe that in all of Clinton’s years as Governor and President, he could never have sponsored an event like this with public funds. Americans won’t take that.

Going further, even if we decide to take out the cost, there is still the question of the relevance of his Speech to the development of the State. What does Clinton know about Bayelsa State in general and its economy in particular that he will be coming to speak on unlocking its economic potentials?

We know some may say having ran a successful American economy; he has the competence to speak about the Bayelsan Economy and to share his success recipe with the managers on this economy. However, the flaw inherent in that line of thought is that the existential realities of today’s Bayelsa State are very different from those of his Arkansas, when he was Governor and the USA of 1993 to 2001, he served as President.

Also, Clinton has not been to Bayelsa State in his entire life and may very well not understand the state enough to speak about its economy. Bayelsa State is a Third World State in a Third World country that has not been able to provide any of the catalysts of economic growth. It is a state without drinking water, stable electricity, a good road network, an entrepreneurial class (everyone depend on the Government for survival), a good educational system to create quality manpower, etc.

Thus, even though, I am an unrepentant Capitalist, I still find it difficult to stomach the exploitation of Bayelsans by the former US President. Clinton should have summoned the moral courage to tell the rulers of the state that will be his chief hosts to do right by their people rather than join them in yet another jamboree aimed at wasting the scarce resources of this already impoverished Land.

The state Government has been hosting one wasteful event after the other with the claim that they are aimed at attracting Tourists and Investors. However, discerning citizens know that if a state sets its affairs in order it does not need to spend millions to host events and bring in Clinton or anyone to woo investors. Investors will go to places they consider lucrative to invest without any wooing.

Bayelsans do not want this event and we certainly do not want any paid speaker here. We are yet to reap any benefits from the many other events such as the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Nigerian Broadcasters Award (NIBRA), Africa Fashion Reception, International SME Conference, Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) etc, that our state government has been spending our scare resources to sponsor or host.

The AMAA for instance has been a huge drain pipe on the State’s finances. The State caters for all the invited guests. This means the celebrities that attend AMAA do not spend any money for their Feeding, Transportation and accommodations in Bayelsa State for the duration of the Awards. In other words, AMAA is an all-expense paid vacation for the invited guests. They do not have to spend a single dime in the Bayelsa State economy. In fact, the artists that are paid to perform receive their pay even before they set foot on Bayelsa soil. So in terms of the economic benefits of AMAA to the traders in Yenagoa and environs, you the readers, should be the judge.
In the 10 years that the state has hosted the awards, no one (not even the State Government or the organizers of the Award) can name 2 Blockbuster Nollywood Movies that have been shot on locations in Bayelsa State. In fact no one can point to any Big budget Nollywood Movie that has been shot in Bayelsa. But then, would you blame movie Producers? Where are the beautiful sights and sinews to attract them to make movies in Yenagoa? Where are the internal roads they are to drive through? Unless a producer/Director wants to make a movie/documentary about long Monkey Bridges and bad internal roads, I doubt if he will shoot in Yenagoa.

It is with the foregoing in mind that we at SAYELBA are against this jamboree that Clinton is billed to grace tomorrow. A government that is crying about scarcity of funds to meet its developmental needs and is currently on the verge of obtaining a N40 Billion loans from commercial banks cannot be encouraged to engage in this level of frivolities. And this is the home truth we expected Bill Clinton to tell the State Government, rather than join in the orgy of wastage.

Fortune God’sSon Alfred is a Public Policy Analyst and an Executive Member of the College of Administrators of SAYELBA

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/opinion-bill-clintons-visit-to-bayelsa-state-a-blessing-or-curse/