₦airaland Forum

Atiku Abubakar remains a great Leader worthy of emulation. He is the UNIFIER!

#AtikuMeetsWike

My Guy, see and tell me truth as my friend... ...

This APC met change.....thing.. think am before u re elect them again oooooo

>They met Malt drink at #100 but now it is #250

>They met coca cola at #60 but now it's #200
They met cooking gas @ #150 per KG but today it is #800

>They met a bag of cement@#2000 but now it's #4000.

>They met met toothpaste (close-up) @#180 per one but today is now #450.

>They met matches @ #5 for one sachet bit now is #25.

>They met 33cl Pepsi @#50 for a bottle but now is #130

>They met camry 2.4 @ #800,000 but now is #2,700.000

>They met electricity tariff @#7 per a unit but now is #45

>They met a loaf of bread � @#200 but now is #600 for the cheapest.

>They met a litre of fuel ⛽@87 but now is #200

>They met a litre of Diesel @#150 but now is #800

>They met VAT @1% and increased to 7.5%

>They met Federal Universities tuition fees @ less than #20,000 but now is almost #100k

>They met mattress @#50k for a big size but today is #150k

>They met Kings 4litre vegetable oil �️ @ #2000 but now is #6000

>They met exchange rate (Naira to a dollar)@ #150 but today is#600

>They met bag of rice ���@#7500 but now is#32000

>They met bag of beans @#20000 but today is #100k

>They met children biscuits at #5 per one but today is#20 per one and the quantity is reduced

>They met sweet (milkos, and the rest @ two #5 but now is one#10.

> They met Sardine with 3-4 fishes @N120 but now it is N600 for 2 piece of fish.

> A 2 bedroom flat in mainland of Lagos that used to go for 180k is now 600k

> Transport on Hiace bus from Lagos to Abuja that used to be 2500-3500 is now 10,500 - 13,000

The damages are too feasible everywhere.
The hunger in land has no part two. The Masses of this country bear the brunch.

APC!
For Change!

We thought it was for positive change...
What that baffles me is that some miscreants are still chanting and ranting for them.

The mockery and jokes other senatorial Representatives cracks with us at the upper chamber. Especially, on the poor and shaming representation of AGBORO and ILLITERATE kind of grammar members
The first and best eleven the country need at this present time. To clean our face from what the international communities watching the plenary sections has said about Nigeria about such representation.

Go and get your PVC now let's rebuild the country.

#EndAPCNow #SaveNigeria #RebuildNigeriaNow

Delta yet to access N150bn bridging finance

Delta Governor, Sen (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday said the state government was yet to access the N150 billion bridging finance.

He said that the funds had not reached the State because the Federal Government was yet to commence remittances to the state, contrary to the agreement.

Okowa disclosed this while speaking to newsmen shortly after inspecting ongoing works at the Koka flyover bridge and interchange in Asaba.

He said that the bridge was one of the projects that the bridging finance was meant to cover, adding that "when the money is available, we will be able to use it to upscale these projects.

"The bridging finance is actually a finance that we already have a source of repayment and rather than allow the depreciation of the Naira or the extension of time at work create a cost escalation for us, our intention was to take a bridging finance and then pay back from the monies that the Federal Government owes us.

"But as at today, we have not even accessed the bridging finance because the repayment plan from the Federal Government, which is supposed to have started by January has not commenced; they have not made any remittances to the state.

"Some states have taken a part of their own bridging finance because we are not the only state involved. But for us, we intend to wait until the refund process starts before accessing the bridging finance.

"So, we have not yet accessed that bridging finance at the moment but we have got the approval of the House of Assembly.

"I hear that some of our brothers who don't even understand governance, have tried to critique the situation but unfortunately, when some people don't understand what is in government and how you can save funds for the people, they could talk politics and criticise.

"But I am very confident that whatever we are about to do, we are doing it in the best interest of the state; we are trying to save money for the state, we are trying to save situations where you have cost overrun and cost escalations.

"We do hope that as soon as the first set of refunds come from the Federal Government, we would be able to access the bridging finance to be able to scale up the speed of the major projects that we have as listed before the House of Assembly and utilise the money for some other sources.

"But as at today, we are still coping and we hope that very soon the Federal Government will start the process of refund and we will be in a position to ensure that we speed up all the projects we have."

Okowa explained that a slowdown and depreciation of the naira could be a major disaster because the bridging finance was meant to be a cost saving measure for the state.

On the Koka flyover project, he expressed optimism that the project would be completed in December, 2022.

"I can actually see that work is on schedule and they have gone very far from the briefing that I received from the Commissioner for Works.

"You know that when we came in last, they told me that they would try and finish it in February, next year, but I put a lot of pressure and insisted that we wanted it completed this year.

"The information I received is that they are still working very hard to ensure that they finish the project by the middle of December.

"From what we can see, the super structure of the bridge is already on and a lot of work is being done and by October, it is expected that this would have finished completely.

"And, the work to provide the full interchange with the road network under would also be started in due course. They have promised that they are right on time and that they would be finishing before that end of the year.

"I am quite excited at this because it's quite important to us. More so, when we are anticipating that the sector C2 of the Ughelli-Asaba road would be completed about the same time.

"If there is free flow of traffic coming from Ogwashi-uku end to this place on a dual carriage way, it is important that we also have this completed about the same time.

"So that we don't have a clogging of traffic and it appears everything is going on as planned so I am quite happy with the pace of work," he said.

PDP Gubernatorial Primary : Oborevwori Commends Governor Okowa, Others

*** Says No Victor, No Vanquished

The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has commended the State governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the State Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Olorogun (Barrister) Kingsley Esiso, leaders of the party, the party delegates and others for the overwhelming support and election as the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State.

In his welcome address on the resumption of plenary for the Fourth Session of the Seventh Assembly, on Tuesday, June 14th, 2022, the Speaker expressed gratitude to all those who made his victory at the PDP Governorship Primary possible just as he made it clear that there was no victor and no vanquished.

"My distinguished and ever reliable colleagues, it is my pleasure to welcome you back to plenary after the long adjournment occasioned by the activities of our respective parties primaries. I thank God Almighty for His protection throughout the consultations to our various constituencies and across the State. May I also thank God Almighty for the peaceful and successful conduct of the party primaries in the State. May His name alone be praised", the Speaker said.

According to him; "Distinguished colleagues, let me seize this opportunity to request that you join me in thanking His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, our able Governor and leader of the Peoples Democratic party,PDP, in the State; the State Party Chairman and other party leaders, the party delegates, members of our great party ,the PDP and Deltans for my overwhelming endorsement and nomination as the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State".

The Speaker also used the opportunity to specially thank the National leadership of the PDP, led by the National Chairman, Senator (Dr.) Iyorchia Ayu, for ensuring a hitch-free primaries and for providing a level playing field for all the aspirants who participated in the primaries in Delta State.

While congratulating everyone of them nominated as candidates to contest under the platform of our great party, the PDP, in the forthcoming general elections, the Speaker in the same vein, congratulated all the other contestants and reassured them that there was no victor and no vanquished, saying; "It is a victory for everybody and for the party. We all belong to the same family, the PDP. Let me therefore congratulate all of us".

"Honourable colleagues, let me specially congratulate all of us for the successful celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the 7th Assembly. On behalf of Members and Staff of the Delta State House of Assembly, I wish to express our profound appreciation to His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, our amiable Governor, for honouring the invite of the House as the Special Guest of Honour at the Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 12th June, 2022. We are indeed very grateful for his support to the House", Rt Hon Oborevwori said.

He also expressed appreciation to the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Deacon Barrister Kingsley Otuaro; Rt. Hon. Nicholas Mutu, Member House of Representatives; the Chief Judge of Delta State, the Honourable Justice Theresa Diai; the President Customary Court of Appeal, Delta State, the Honourable Justice Patience Elumeze; former presiding officers and non sitting members of the House; the royal fathers led by the Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Orue1, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom; the State PDP Chairman, Olorogun (Barrister) Kingsley Esiso and all the party leaders; the Local Government Councils Chairmen and everyone that came to celebrate with them.

"I will not forget to extend our gratitude to our spouses whose prayers and support are invaluable. We appreciate all of you", he added.

The Speaker who is also the National Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, reminded his colleagues of three bills at different stages pending in the House before they proceeded on the last adjournment.

He said that;"The Bills are: Delta State Electric Power Sector Reform Bill, 2022; Delta State Environmental Conservation Bill,2020; and
Delta State Farmers Registration, Monitoring and Certification Bill, 2022. Similarly, the House also received the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 ( Fourth Alteration Bills ) from the National Assembly requesting the Resolution of the House on each of the Bills transmitted to us".

The Speaker implored all of them to double their efforts and energy towards early and timely consideration of the Bills pending before the House, noting that; "I trust in our ability and vigour as always to do the needful".

"I must at this juncture commend our efforts in the passage of people oriented Bills, Motions and Resolutions for the development of our dear State since inception of the Seventh Assembly. Our collective actions have aided the Executive Arm of Government in the execution of policies and programmes of the State government", he stated.

Rt Hon Oborevwori added; "I wish to also commend our staff for their commitment and dedication to duty which has translated to excellent service delivery by the House. I make bold to say that Delta State House of Assembly will continue to be one of the most vibrant State Houses of Assembly in the country. Finally, I wish to thank you my dear colleagues for your encouragement, understanding and support for the leadership of the House".

Special Government Announcement :

The Federal Government is in receipt of the Senate Recommendation that the NDDC IMC be dissolved and
ii. that the NDDC be returned to the Presidency for proper supervision.

The Government set up a Technical Committee to study this Recommendation and advise it which committee has turned in its Recommendation.

Federal Government hereby accepts the Recommendation of the Senate and accordingly:

1. The President has hereby Dissolved the NDDC IMC. The affected officers are to hand over to the most senior civil servant under them.

2. Barr Doc Onwubualiri Nkemdikim is hereby appointed as sole Administrator for an initial period of 6 months.

3. The NDDC is hereby returned to the Presidency for proper supervision.

Thank you.
Signed:
Garba Femi Shehu Adesina
Presidential Spokespersons.

James Augoye: The unseen hand behind the “Road Master” in Delta




...First anniversary in the second term

2 July 2020

By Obaro Egagifo

On July 3, 2020, the first batch of eight commissioners, which included the Delta State Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, will be marking five years on the saddle in the administration of the State, since they were sworn in by the State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa.

Since first assuming office in 2015, Augoye has been able to interpret the smart initiatives of the State Governor who has been nicknamed “Road Master” in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in road construction spanning over 407 roads, and several line drainages spread across the State.

A careful appraisal of five-year developments in Delta paints a clear picture of why Governor Okowa is nick-named “Road Master”. But then, there is an ‘unseen hand,’ who has tacitly interpreted and astutely implemented the smart initiatives of the State Governor.

Augoye, the unseen hand and brain behind the “Road Master” in Delta, is a thoroughly bred and well put together politician from Ugbokodo in Okpẹ Local Government Area of the State.

On becoming Commissioner, Augoye, whose education spans from his community primary school to the great University of Benin (UNIBEN), where he bagged his Master's degree in Public Administration, immediately revolutionized the Delta State Ministry of Works.

In his commitment to seeing that Governor Okowa succeeds in his road infrastructural strides across the State, the very unassuming gentleman will always do everything possible to ensure projects are delivered on time and to make sure Deltans get value for their money.

With how well Augoye has implemented the administration’s initiative, five years later, we can simply look back and Augoye has done quite well in delivering the campaign promises of the administration and more.

Training for civil engineers

At the beginning of every construction year in Delta, in the past years of Augoye becoming Commissioner for Works, he has made training and retraining of civil engineers at all cadre in the Ministry a top priority. Augoye has organized a yearly training workshop for the civil engineers aimed at sharpening and updating the skills of field engineers with modern technology in road construction. The training program is now code-named in the Ministry as “The James Augoye Training and Workshop for Civil Engineers”. Indeed, this will become one of the standing legacies of Augoye in the Ministry.

Projects

Indeed, the administration has stayed true in making more communities accessible, with roads that are very vital to the socio-economic development of the people. Construction of roads in the State under the watch of Augoye is all-inclusive as no local government in the State had not witnessed footprints of road construction.

The people of Obomkpa, Issele-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Idumuje-Uno, Ukwu-Nzu, Issele-Mkpitime, among others in Aniocha North as well as Irri, Oleh, Ozoro, Iyede, Emede, Owhelogbo, Ellu, Ofagbe, Ikpide-Irri all in Isoko North and Isoko South and Ughelli, Amekpa, Afiesere, Ofuoma, Oteri, Abraka, Orerokpe, and several other communities in Delta central all have stories to tell of footprints in road construction into their various communities. The story is not different in riverine communities of Burutu Town, Ogulagha, Yokri, Obotobo, Sokebolo, Okerenkoko, Ogidigben, Koko, among others.

While also constructing feeder roads, the administration has continued construction works on the Ughelli Asaba dualization project. A trip to the project site along the Sector C which includes from Asaba to Oloh-Ossisa, reveals massive construction work currently ongoing as well as the Sector A from Ughelli to Isoko.

Under Augoye’s watch, the Delta State Government has built over 400 roads, and counting.

Legacy project: Asaba stormwater erosion control project

Perhaps the biggest achievement of the administration will no doubt be in the area of flood control in Asaba, the State capital. Embarrassed by hardship posed by flooding in the State capital, Governor Okowa awarded the multi-billion naira storm drainage contracts to check the perennial flooding of the State capital. Augoye took it upon himself to see that the aim of the Governor was achieved.

Today, the hardship posed by flooding in the State capital has now become a thing of the past as Asaba now has deep underground sewers that take all the floodwater from Nnebisi road, connecting the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) road to Jesus Saves road and Agric road, on one end, while also curbing the menace of floodwater on DBS road, cabinet office road, and environs, connected to the Marian Babangida road, and properly channelled to Oyabi river.

Those who are familiar with the capital city before now can testify of the level of flooding in the capital city. The whole of DLA, Okpanam road, DBS road, Ralph Uwechie road and several others including the Okotomi area of Okpanam have now been rescued from the annual flooding ritual. Indeed with the first phase of the stormwater drainages, Asaba residents now sleep with two eyes closed. All thanks to the effective supervision of Augoye.

Legacy project: Asaba Airport project

Another key achievement of the administration is the Asaba Airport. Deltans and indeed Nigerians would recall that in 2015, the Asaba International Airport was downgraded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over safety concern that was largely due to the faulty runway. With courage and determination on the part of the Governor, the Delta State Government awarded the contract to Setraco Nigeria Limited under the supervision of the Ministry of Works that has been under the purview of Augoye since the first term of Governor Okowa.

With the downgrade, only Dash 8-Q 400 aircraft or its equivalent were allowed to operate using the airport. Today, the story is different; all the safety issues have been addressed; the Asaba Airport runway is now completed and operational with better facilities. The runway is 3.4 kilometres long, theoretically capable of receiving a 747 aircraft, meaning that larger aircraft like the 737 can now safely use the airport. As of 2013, Asaba Airport serviced an average of 6,880 passengers per month on 260 flights. Commercial activities have since increased drastically with the restoration of the airport to a decent condition, all thanks to the Ministry of Works supervisory role under the watch of Augoye.

Legacy project: Marian Babangida road

The Marian Babangida road is one strategic road at the heart of the city of Asaba. The road, a dual carriageway linking Okpanam road to the Asaba/Benin express road, has defied the technical abilities of past administration due to the terrain, the location, and nature of the road. When this administration came on board, the technicalities of the addressed were tabled and addressed appropriately. Today, the road has since been completed and in use by Deltans.

Legacy project: Ugbomro road (Phase 1)

This is another award-winning road project achieved by Governor Okowa under the meticulous watch of the gentleman Commissioner Augoye. At the inception of the administration, the Governor was so desirous of tackling that road problem, which has in the past, always been an abandoned project. That determination made the Governor to award the road contract to Setraco. The project has since been completed and commissioned. The people of Ugbomro, and other communities, and indeed the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) will forever remain grateful for the road.

Roads and bridges in riverine communities

Governor Okowa is not nick-named Road Master for nothing. From the Okorenkoko road projects, the Ogidigben township road, Burutu township roads, the Ayakoromor bridge project and indeed the multi-billion naira Trans-Warri Ode-Itsekiri road project and bridges linking over eight communities across the Excavos-Focados river could best be described as signature and historic projects in the life of the people. Indeed this is what the Road Master Governor means to the riverine communities.

The unending commitment of Augoye, and his tenacity to effectively interpret government policies and implement, sets him apart, earning him the appellation as the unseen hand behind the “Road Master” in Delta, etching him as enviable and endearing in the hearts of Deltans.

In response to enquiry by some State House Correspondents:

Victor Giadom is APC National Chairman, Presidency

The President has received very convincing advice on the position of the law as far as the situation in the party is concerned and has determined that the law is on the side of Victor Giadom as Acting National Chairman. Because he will always act in accordance with the law, the President will be attending the virtual meeting Giadom called for tomorrow afternoon.

We urge the media to stop promoting manufactured controversies and to not give any further room for mischievous interpretations of the law on this matter.

In addition to the President, the Giadom meeting will, hopefully, be attended by our Governors and the leaders of the National Assembly.

-Garba Shehu

DEMOCRACY DAY: Okowa salutes Deltans, says better days ahead

As Deltans join other Nigerians to celebrate "Democracy Day" on June 12, the state Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has felicitated with citizens and commended them for their support and contributions to the growth and development of the state.

In a message to the people, Okowa said that June 12 was set aside as Democracy Day in Nigeria in commemoration of the most free and fair election in the history of the country and to also remember the sacrifices of our heroes past.

He lauded Deltans for their commitment and cooperation with the state government in the execution of its agenda, particularly the flagship – the Stronger Delta target.

In the message contained in a statement by Mr Olisa Ifeajika, his Chief Press Secretary, the governor noted that 2020 Democracy Day was being celebrated in a peculiar atmosphere of sobriety engendered by the prevailing COVID-19, which had jolted the world.

He urged Deltans and Nigerians to imbibe and internalize the new culture of personal hygiene, including the use of face mask and observance of physical-distancing while interacting in public, and appealed to them to support government in sensitizing residents, especially at the grassroots, to all matters surrounding the pandemic.

He said that in spite of the impact of the COVID-19 in the country, his administration was committed to delivering on its Stronger Delta mantra, assuring that better days were still ahead for the people.

The governor affirmed that his administration was determined to complete all life-changing projects it had begun across, saying that the government was resolute on timely completion of projects.

In addition, he said that the government had made sufficient provision in the revised 2020 Budget for some key projects, adding that they would be scaled up in subsequent budgets.

The governor urged Nigerians to continue to work together in unity so as to surmount the challenges threatening to destabilise the democratic experience and undo the gains of the past 21 years.

He said, “On behalf of government and the people of Delta, I congratulate Nigerians on the occasion of the 2020 Democracy Day celebration.

"Our people have enjoyed democracy since 1999 and appreciate better, the inherent gains of democratic governance - respect for human rights and the rule of law.

"In order to protect this hard-earned democracy, we must work harmoniously to improve on our electoral system.

“As we mark this year’s celebration on a low-key note, because of the COVID-19 scourge, our administration remains irrevocably committed to the provision of life-changing economic projects that will improve the welfare of our people.

“To sustain the execution of these projects this critical period, we have revised our budget in such a way that we can get maximum value for our people in spite of the effects of the pandemic on our finances.

"As at today, our total confirmed cases of COVID-19 has risen to 225 and it is my appeal to all Deltans to continue to imbibe the culture of the new normal, which is the wearing of face masks in public places, physical-distancing, regular hand washing and other personal hygiene injunctions.

As a government, whose policies and programmes are stoutly predicated on democratic principles, we will continue to run our activities along those lines - providing citizens with deserving dividends for attainment of prosperity for all Deltans, maintaining the momentum of our infrastructural development of the state in all facets and sustaining the drive for actualisation of a Stronger Delta.

"And, to encourage the practice of democracy in the state, we shall continue to give equal opportunities to all of our party members by ensuring internal democracy at all times.

"While other states struggle to deliver party candidates in elections, we shall continue to be a model of internal democracy in our party.

“We should be proud to be Nigerians, because God in His infinite wisdom did not make a mistake in making us Nigerians."

Okowa remarked that Democracy Day was a day to celebrate "our glorious state and great nation; and to pay tribute to our countrymen and women who sacrificed so that we can celebrate this day.

"We should never forget the sacrifices of our heroes past.

“In spite of the challenges we are facing as a nation, we must remain resolute to keep alive the dreams of our founding fathers."

DELTA ASSEMBLY APPROVES REQUESTS OF GOVERNOR OKOWA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOTHER AND CHILD CENTRE, DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL COMPLEX
HEALTH


The Delta State House of Assembly, on Tuesday at plenary, approved two separate requests from the State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for the establishment of two separate health facilities in the State valued at over three Billion Naira.

The facilities are; Mother and Child Centre and a Diagnostic Medical Complex, both proposed to be constructed at Owa-Alero in Ika North East Local Government Area of the State.

While the Proposed construction of the Mother and Child Centre is valued at over N1.357 Billion, the proposed Diagnostic Medical Complex, is valued at over N1.7 Billion.

Requests for the approvals were contained in two separate letters to the Speaker, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori by the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and was read by the Speaker.

Motion for the adoption of both requests, was moved by the Majority leader of the House, Hon. Tim Owhefere as they were seconded by the Members representing Aniocha North and Warri South 1 constituencies, Hons. Emeka Nwaobi and Augustine Uroye, respectively.

The motion was unanimously adopted through a voice vote as read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

In the letters, the Governor noted that the request for the construction of the proposed health facilities is aimed at providing sustainable quality healthcare to Deltans as well as reduce mortality rate in the state.

One of the letters read inter alia, “The purpose of this letter, therefore is to seek the authorisation of the Honourable House in support of the financing arrangement with respect to the construction of Mother and Child Centre at Owa-Alero, Ika North East Local Government Area and issuance of an appropriate irrevocable standing Payment Order (ISPO) by the state government to fund the guaranteed facility in line with the approval of the State Executive Council. It would be greatly appreciated if the request is presented to the Honourable House for consideration and authorisation at your earliest convenience.”

The proposed projects are expected to be executed by a construction company; NJZC International Construction Limited/Sinoma Investment International Ltd.

The House at plenary also received a report from the committee on health on the Delta State Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Bill, 2019.

Delta urges road contractors to speed-up projects

Delta Government has called on contractors handling road projects in the state to speed up work before the wet season would properly set in.

The Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, made the call in Agbarho, Ughelli North Council Area of the state while inspecting the three-kilometre Agbarho-Orherhe-Otokutu road and bridge section one.

Augoye said that the project was earlier awarded to another contractor, but that the contractor failed to mobilise to site.

He commended the contractor handling the project, Feborze Global Venture, for the quality of work and urged them to complete the project within three months.

"You will recall that this project was earlier awarded to another contractor, who failed to mobilise to site until the governor directed that the project be re-awarded to this present contractor.

"I must commend their pace and quality of work and I urge them to complete the project within the next three months," he added

The Project Manager, Mr Ifeanyi Ochuba, said that the project was 75 per cent completed and that it would be completed in the next three months.

The commissioner also inspected the three-kilometre road with reinstatement of collapsed bridge at Oduaran road in Ughelli, and said that the road was cut-off last September due to flooding in the area and commended the contractor for the pace of work.

"As at September, last year, this road was cut-off and the governor directed that the road should be reconstructed and the bridge reinstated."

The Chairman of Obakpor Engineering Company Ltd., Chief John Oguma, said the project was delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic but assured that it would be completed in July, 2020.

Delta govt. to put necessary measures in place for schools’ resumption – Commissioner

ON JUNE 1, 2020

The Delta Government on Monday said necessary measures would be put in place before academic activities could resume in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, made this known at a media briefing held in Government House Annexe, Warri.

Aniagwu said that the government would among other things fumigate the schools before students resumed.

“Schools might not resume in the next week. We will put all measures in place before children will be allowed to resume academic activities.

“We will fumigate the schools to ensure the safety of our children. So schools might not resume in the next week,” he said.

The commissioner said that the state government had upscaled its healthcare facilities. He said that the state now had six isolation centres with two donated by corporate bodies.

“We are not just upscaling our health facilities because of COVID-19, we are looking beyond the pandemic to the benefit of our people,” Aniagwu said.

The commissioner said that amid the challenges of the global pandemic, the state government was still committed to building a stronger Delta through infrastructure development.

He said that the state government was about to float a domestic security outfit codenamed ‘Operation Delta Hawks’ to complement the existing security apparatus in the state.

According to him, the security outfit would deal with domestic security issues in the state.

The commissioner said that the state government was committed to regional security outfit.

“Regional security outfit will deal with security issues across the region, while state security will deal with security issues within the state,” he said.

Aniagwu, however, urged the people of the state to continue to support the government to enable it to deliver on its promises.

The commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, and some government aides.

Breaking News : Farouk condoles Okowa over Ogbeogonogo fire incident

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk, on Tuesday commiserated with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and traders on the recent fire incident at Ogbeogonogo Market in Asaba, the state capital.

The minister, who was accompanied by Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, and DG NEMA, commended the state government for the prompt response to the disaster, and assured that Federal Government would provide relief materials to the state for distribution to affected traders, to cushion the effect of the losses on them.



Details later...

*Oyibode's Appointment : A Dream Come True, says Ovie of Udu.*

The Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Barrister E.B.O. Delekpe (JP), Ohworhu1, has described the appointment of Olorogun Vincent Ogheneruemu Oyibode into the Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, as a dream come true, for the Udu people.

Speaking to DESOPADEC news crew at Aladja on Monday 25th May, 2020, the Udu monarch lauded Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the appointment, noting that Okowa kept to his promise to the Udu people.

"As an Udu son and a new Member on the Board of DESOPADEC, it is a right step in the right direction. We wholeheartedly welcome the development. It was a promise made by Governor Okowa. As a man of honour and integrity, he kept to his promise," he said.

Speaking on the on-going construction of the Ovie of Udu palace, the Ovie of Udu said, "I want DESOPADEC to do something substantial even as we get close to the roofing stage. We expect a lot from the Board. We should not be shortchanged. Udu is an oil producing area.There should be fairness and equity."

Corroborating the statement from the Udu Monarch, the President-General of Udu Kingdom, Olorogun Godwin Jeffia Notoma, in a separate interview at his residence in Ukpiovwin Community, said Olorogun Oyibode's appointment is a welcome development for the Udu people.

According to Chief Notoma, "we can now have free access to the Board of DESOPADEC because one of our own is on the Board. It is not the same when you don't have your person in the place. I know his personal desires because he comes from an oil producing community. He is quite responsible and deligent."

On the palace project, Chief Notoma said, "we are looking forward to the completion of that project. We are looking at the fencing and completion of the project. DESOPADEC has done well but can do better. I am not going to limit it to DESOPADEC impact alone. Above all, we want our king to move to our ancestral place at Otor-Udu as soon as possible."

We've reduced poverty in Delta — Okowa

Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa on Monday said his administration had worked hard and reduced poverty level in the state through numerous empowerment and job creation programmes.

Okowa disclosed this in ``Your View’’, an interview on TVC television via Skype, monitored in Asaba.

He said that the state government was committed to giving Deltans a good standard of living that they truly deserved as citizens of an oil-producing state.

The governor stated that women and youths had benefited immensely from his administration's job creation programmes, which led to the rating of the state as the second state with the least poor people in the country.

He disclosed that his administration had created lots of jobs through huge investments in road, health and education infrastructure, adding that prevailing peace in Niger Delta also impacted gainfully on the local economy.

"A lot has been done in Delta State in the last five years and the people are happy. Only recently, Delta was rated very high when it comes to the issue of reduction of poverty, because we have
done a lot in trying to create jobs for our people, trying to get our people engaged; we have done a lot in keeping the oil facilities working as it ought to be and that has greatly improved the local economy.

"And, very importantly, we've done quite a lot in terms of road infrastructure, health infrastructure, school infrastructure; a lot has been done even as we give special attention to technical education because it is good for us.

"A lot is also being done for the women; in the first instance, our job creation programme which is from the Job Creation Office, we have ensured that in everything that we do, there is a minimum of at least 40 per cent of women engaged in the job creation programme.

"We have trained several thousands of youths and of course, most of the fashion designers we are talking about, over 300 of them that were engaged in the production of the one million face masks were actually women.

"From the Ministry of Women Affairs a lot is being done to empower our women and we have also started a programme such that even as we have reduced our budget for 2020, rather than reduce our budgets for women we are actually up-scaling it.

``This is because we understand that this is the time to truly empower women to put food on their tables,’’ he said.

Okowa added that his administration had made provision for special attention for the girl-child in the state to ensure that girls got a good start in life.

According to him, realising that the girl-child is also being neglected, we have created an office for girl-child entrepreneurship development and empowerment and we are very happy about that because we want to be sure that our women and girls are properly engaged because when they are engaged they can actually keep the family well fed because women know how to manage funds much better than men and there is no doubt about that.

"Through the Ministry of Youths Development, we just approved and released funds to engage youths in 270 wards and I have insisted that at least out of the three that we are choosing, one person must also be a female so we are doing quite a lot apart from our Micro Credit Development Agency where a lot of women have truly been impacted," he stated.

*Oyibode Inspects On-going Projects In Udu.*

Olorogun Vincent Ogheneruemu Oyibode, JP, member representing Urhobo Ethnic Nationality on the Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has embarked on inspection of ongoing projects in Udu Local Government Area
of the State.

Sites inspected were the on-going construction work on a twin bungalow staff quarters at Oghior Secondary School, Oghior and the completed six classroom block at Okolor-Inland Primary School, both in Udu local government area.

According to Olorogun Oyibode, "Oghior community is an oil bearing community and host to OML34 and 65 (Abura field), but we have been abandoned for so many years. All thanks to His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the first Governor to remember this community. He built the first six classroom block for the community school and I am the first major political appointee from this community."

At Oghior secondary school, he said, "this staff quarters will encourage staff to stay in the community. We still need more facilities in the school. We are doing this because education is light and this community has been a strong support base for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)."

The President-General of Oghior community, Mr Paul Okome, who could not contain his excitement said, Youth Corpers posted to the school would no longer complain of lack of accommodation. He thus, thanked the Governor and DESOPADEC for coming to their aid.

At Okolor-Inland, the President-General of the community, Mr Lucky Ekperuse said, before now, the school building was leaking and the children were exposed to the vagaries of the weather.

He thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and DESOPADEC for the timely intervention and for the speedy completion of the project.

Explaining the rationale behind the project, Olorogun Oyibode stated that the Okolor Inland Primary School project was the first project he embarked upon as a member of the DESOPADEC Board.

"Okolor Inland is an oil producing community and has been a strong support base for the PDP. The President General came to me when I was Special Assistant to the Governor. Our prayer was that once I got this appointment, this would be my first project. With the support of my Managing Director Bashorun Askia Ogieh and the Board of DESOPADEC, the project has come to fruition," he said.

Olorogun Oyibode thus surmised that at their completion, the Governor of the State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa would be the first governor in the history of Delta State, to commission projects, in Udu Local Government Area, since the advent of democracy in 1999.

Below is the tour of the projects, in pictures.

Reps caucus endorses Okowa's 'Operation Delta Hawk'

Members of the Delta caucus in the House of Repesentatives have endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's move to establish a new security outfit in the state.

The caucus said it was impressed by the governor's decision to set up the security outfit known as "Operation Delta Hawk " in view of the prevailing insecurity in the state, ranging from herders-farmers clashes, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

Minority Leader of the House, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, who led the caucus on a solidarity meeting with the Governor at Government House, Asaba, disclosed that the caucus visited to thank the governor for his initiative on rising insecurity in the state through the proposed security outfit.

According to Elumelu, we are here to express the unalloyed support of the caucus to His Excellency's decision to set up a security apparatus in the state, which has already been named Operation Delta Hawk.

He also said that the caucus was appreciative of the way and manner the state government had been fighting the Coronavirus pandemic and for providing palliatives to vulnerable Deltans during the lockdown period.

The minority leader, who was in company with Reps Ossai Ossai, Victor Nwokolo and Ben Igbakpa, disclosed that they also came to consult the governor on the contentious Infectious Diseases Bill before the House.

"We have come to visit our Governor to interact with him, but most importantly to congratulate him because since COVID-19 started, we have not had time to come because of the lockdown so we had to seek permission to come and thank him immensely for the manner in which he has carried out the issue of COVID-19.

"On the floor of the House, we pride ourselves as people from Delta because our governor has been able to distinguish himself creditably in the manner in which he has catered for the people of the state.

"We are proud of him because apart from being governor, he has also been very empathetic with the plight of Deltans.

"We also came to communicate with him on the things that has been happening in the House most especially Infectious Diseases Control Bill and to discuss with him on the inter-state lockdown and how it can be sustained to discourage people moving from various states to another.

"Aside implementing the lockdown, we also congratulated the governor on his decision to set up 'Operation Delta Hawk' which we believe will help in solving the insecurity problem that we currently face in Nigeria and not even Delta alone.

"The measures he has taken so far in addressing the insecurity as it relates to Delta is something we are very proud of and that is why we are here," he said.

He stressed that with regards to the infectious diseases bill before the lawmakers, they were in Asaba to seek the governor's opinion as a medical doctor and on how the Delta caucus will approach the issue.

According to Elumelu, we were elected by Deltans to represent their interests and whatever views the governor may have collated from the opinion of Deltans will form the focus of our action on the contentious bill.

On his part, Nwokolo said that setting up of Operation Delta Hawk was a proactive step in line with Community Policing initiative of the Inspector-General of Police.

"What he has done in setting up the security outfit is in the right direction and that is one of the reasons why we are here to commend him for being proactive because the actions he has taken are in the right direction because we can't keep folding our hands.

"All over the world we are talking about community policing, so setting up Operation Delta Hawk is in that direction which will bring up a team of professionals in the real sense of security professionals to advise the state in what direction to go.

"He is being proactive and we must commend him because you can't be putting infrastructure for your people yet they are killing them every day.

"He is one man who doesn't believe in self-help and being lawless and that's exactly what he has decided to do and we are optimistic that he will record huge success from this decision as he has always had in the past.

"He believes in the State House of Assembly and whatever he does must be backed up by law," he added.

In his contribution, Igbakpa commended Okowa for measures at re-opening the state's economy after the lockdown.

"Most people, especially the daily-income-earners suffered immensely during the lockdown; a lot of people are suffering but government alone cannot come to their aid no matter the level of palliative that government will bring to them.

"So, the essence is to open the economy and let certain parts of the economy function, like the construction industry. We are very much in support of the re-opening of the state economy.

"We know that the pandemic is still there but we have to learn to live with it because COVID-19 is real; we must maintain all protocols as directed by the NCDC," he said.

Urhobo, Biafra, Oduduwa And The Sins Of Old

By
Sunny Awhefeada


That Nigeria is tending towards centrifugalism is only not realised by those who are numb and insensitive to the reality of the moment. What began as a call for adherence to the ideals and tenets of federalism from the Niger Delta states at the onset of the present millennium took on different modes of agitation that even culminated in armed struggle ala militancy. Two national conferences took place in 2005 and 2014 respectively. Then the buzzword “restructuring” took over and it is now being substituted by the lingo of self-determination as depicted in the enlistment of two of the nation’s biggest ethnic blocs, the Yoruba and the Igbo, into the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) headquartered in Hague, Netherland. The Igbo took on the name Biafra which is redolent of the ill-fated thirty-month republic (1967-1970), while the Yoruba took Oduduwa, their progenitor. The UNPO is a conglomeration of aggrieved nations and peoples suffering from oppression and marginalisation. It can be depicted as giving counter-validation to unrepresented, underrepresented, exploited and oppressed nations and peoples.

The road taken by the Yoruba and the Igbo is a familiar one which has become a compelling alternative in view of Nigeria’s unending narrative of injustice. History tells us that British colonialism coerced the many ethnicities that make up Nigeria into an unwilling marriage through the amalgamation of 1914. The reasons and terms of that union were as dubious as they were devious. By the time colonialism was defeated in October 1960, the British entrenched the dubiety of 1914 by enabling a section of the country that never wanted independence in the first place to take over national leadership. The successors of Lord Lugard designed a system that will enable that particular section rule over the rest of the country in the fashion of neocolonialism. That “mistake of 1914” as the prime beneficiary of that manipulation haughtily described the amalgamation has been haunting Nigeria since 1914.

Efforts to redress that political fraud have been met with consequences of tragic proportions. It earned Obafemi Awolowo a jail term. He was lucky as he lived to tell the story. It led to two bloody coups in 1966 which snowballed into a tragic Civil War. The tragedy of coups, real and phantom, that bedeviled the country throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s as well as the catastrophe of June 12 as well as the state murder of Saro-Wiwa and his Ogoni compatriots were the very painful price that we paid for our inability to address or redress “the mistake of 1914”. If the soldiers who ruled us cumulatively for thirty years brutally suppressed all tendencies to address and correct the foibles of nationhood as enabled by the British, the civilians who succeeded them were restrained. However, twenty years into civil rule and sixty years after independence we are still bedeviled by the sins of old as defined by inequity, injustice, exploitation, oppression and marginalisation on all fronts. The Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri bloc seems to have consolidated the scheme to subjugate the rest of Nigeria.

It is the foregoing unacceptable condition that compelled the emergence of Biafra and Oduduwa as members of UNPO in the quest for self-determination. Again, history is repeating itself. Igbo had gone that way through the war of 1967 to 1970 and they were recognised by about six countries. The Yoruba also made a pretence to secession in 1967 when they threatened to leave Nigeria if Biafra was allowed to go. If that had happened then Karl Maier’s This House Has Fallen would have been a truism. This is so because had the Yoruba made good their threat, other ethnic groups would have declared their independence and that would have been the end of Nigeria. This is the lesson of history those presently running Nigeria aground must pause and ponder about.

However, it seems that the Yoruba and the Igbo are as guilty as the hegemons they are resenting. Two maps recently popped delineating the territories that make up Biafra and Oduduwa republics. The Biafra map encroached on Urhobo territories of Ughelli and Warri while that of Oduduwa enclosed Sapele and Warri too! This is an unacceptable and ugly depiction of territorial ambition and anticipated economic exploitation which is at the root of the Nigerian crises. The Yoruba and Igbo scrambling for Urhobo territory points to the inherent tendency of the nation’s big three ethnicities, Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo, to always swallow up the minorities. This has become age-old. Prior to independence, the North swallowed up the minorities in that region as did the West and the East too in their regions. While the Tiv took on the North for their freedom, the present Edo and Delta area took on the West just as the Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers movement took on the East. The agitation gave birth to the Willinks Commission of 1957/1958 which looked into the fears and aspirations of the minority groups. That agitation led to the creation of the Midwest Region out of the West in 1963.

Why should Urhobo be sited in Biafra and Oduduwa republics? Do they share a common socio-cultural history and language? There is absolutely no reason for grouping Urhobo with Biafra and Oduduwa. Their destinies are not the same and it is an unacceptable affront. With a population of five million people the Urhobo nation is demographically bigger than sixty countries of the world that are in the United Nations. Urhobo territory borders the Atlantic Ocean, endowed with oil and gas, rich wetland and biodiversity, two seaports, an airport, four universities, arable land for agriculture and what more it has a distinct language with a well developed orthography and phonetic system. So, why are the anticipated Biafra and Oduduwa republics scrambling for the Urhobo nation? Is it to continue the sins of old? The Urhobo should be left alone to determine their future. They are more than ready and able to do so.


Sunny Awhefeada writes The Imperative Column for Independent on Fridays

BREAKING: Delta Confirms Five New Cases Of COVID-19, Cases Now 22

https://www.nigerdeltatoday.com/breaking-delta-confirms-five-new-cases-of-covid-19-cases-now-22/

*Delta Assembly Passes Controversial ‘Tax Bill’ Without Public Input - By Iteveh Ekpokpobe*

The Delta State Assembly has passed the controversial ‘Delta State Internal Revenue Bill, 2020’ into law without consideration of calls by stakeholders for public input.

The bill which passed third reading during today’s plenary was introduced by the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Thursday 30, April, through a letter, and passed first and second reading on Last week’s Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

However, the bill was committed to the Special Committee on Bills and Public Accounts Committee by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, with directive to submit their report next week Tuesday 12, May, 2020.

Following outcry by citizens and civil society organisations, the house deferred report on the bill till today plenary, where the Committee report was hurriedly presented and passed.

The Speaker, Mr Sheriff Oborevwori who spoke on the passage of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Bill, described it as a right step in the right direction for the economy of the state adding that there was no better time to move away from over dependence on oil and Federal allocation than now.

“This Bill will undoubtedly enhance the administration and collection of the different taxes, tariffs, rates, fees and charges in the state. This will in turn boost the economy of our dear state”, he said.

However, opinions on the bill have not changed.
A lawyer, A.P Obarogbi, recommended that the law-making arm in Delta State should have straightened some grey areas before passing especially as it relates to the enforcement of power to distrain.

She disclosed that SECTION 37(1-3) of the Bill, which is similar to SECTION 31 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, has been a subject of litigation.

According to her, the significant issue in the bill as passed, is the procedure for enforcement of power to distrain. “Ss. 37(1) of the DSIRS proposed bill may violate the right to fair hearing and right to privacy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended).”

“For instance there have been cases where the “Service” i.e. FIRS, has evolved the practice of directing banks to restrict taxpayers’ accounts on the ground that such taxpayers have outstanding tax liabilities to settle. In response to such directives, the banks, usually, do not investigate or question the legality of these directives of the FIRS before acting pursuant thereto. The banks simply proceed to restrict the taxpayers’ bank accounts until the alleged outstanding tax liabilities have been resolved between the taxpayers and the FIRS. See the case of AMA ETUWEWE v FIRS & GTB Plc. (Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/17/2019). It was held in this case that freezing of the plaintiff’s bank account without recourse to him violated his right to fair hearing and was negligently done in breach of the bank’s fiduciary duty to the plaintiff, and therefore was illegal without the backing of an order of court(emphasis are mine).

Also, in the case of FIDELITY BANK PLC v BAJUYA VENTURES LIMITED & ANOR(2012) All FWLR[PART 646] C.A 456; 2011/CA(12)LEDLR-1, the Court of Appeal held that banks have no right to freeze their customers account without a proper order of court. Where a bank proceeds to freeze the account of a customer without an order of court, the customer can rightly institute a claim in a competent court not just to unfreeze the account but to have damages awarded in his favour for the wrongful action of the bank.”

“SECTION 41(1-3) of the Bill – “A LAW TO ESTABLISH THE DELTA STATE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AND ITS BOARD, 2020 AND OTHER MATERS CONNECTED THEREWITH” provides thus: Without prejudice to any other power conferred on the Service for the enforcement of payment of any revenue from any collecting agents, where the payment has become due, and a demand notice has, in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Law, been served on a chargeable person or on his agent, if payment is not made within the time limited by the demand notice, the Service, may for the purpose of enforcing payment of the amount due, distrain: upon the goods, chattels or other properties, (movable or immovable) of the person liable to pay the due tax outstanding; and
upon all machineries, plants, tools, vehicles, animals and effects, in the possession or use, or found on the premises or land of the person.

The authority to distrain under this section shall be in such form as the Service may direct, and that authority shall be sufficient warrant and authority to levy by distrain the amount of revenue due. For the purpose of levying any distrain under this section, an officer duly authorized by the Chairman “may” apply under oath to a Judge or the Revenue Court sitting in Chambers for the issue of a warrant under this section. (Emphasis mine).”

In the same vein, she stressed that in Section 41 Subsection 3 of the bill, the word “may” gives a duly authorized officer a sort of discretionary power which can be abused when enforcing the Power to distrain. ”

It is rather expedient and equitable to replace the term “may” with “shall”. The rationale is that, this will impose a duty on the authorized officer to follow proper procedure when levying distrain. There have been cases where procedures were not followed in the enforcement of the power to distrain which resulted to breach of human rights and the court found in favor of the aggrieved party or parties. See AMA ETUWEWE v FIRS & GTB and FIDELITY BANK PLC v BAJUYA VENTURES LIMITED & ANOR.(supra).” She stressed.

*Delta Assembly passes controversial ‘tax bill’ without public input*

COVID-19: Delta slashes 2020 budget to N279.8 billion

Paul Osuyi, Asaba

The Delta State Government has slashed its 2020 budget from N395.4 billion to N279.8 billion in line with harsh economic realities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was contained in a letter of Amendment Bill and Schedules of the Revised Budget by state governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to the state House of Assembly.

Speaker of the House Sheriff Oborevwori read the letter at the floor of the House during plenary on Tuesday when the revised budget size also passed its second legislative reading after the House adopted it for consideration.

The amendment bill was referred to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative action.

The proposed revised 2020 budget is made up of N152.7 billion in recurrent expenditure and N127.1 billion in capital expenditure.

Okowa explained in the letter that the new financial framework is a 11.13 per cent decrease from the earlier approved N172 billion recurrent expenditure budget, while the capital budget of N223 billion was reduced by 40.09 percent.

The governor stated that the earlier sum was hinged on macro economic and financial projections usually relied upon by government for budgetary purposes.

He regretted that the macro economic and financial indices can no longer be relied on for funding of the 2020 budget due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic which has triggered a sharp drop in the price of crude oil and a slide in the exchange rate with the attendant negative effect on the revenue accruable to government.

The governor said the new budget is a 29.25 percent drop from the earlier approved 2020 budget of N395.4 billion.

Leading debate on the proposed revised budget, Majority Leader Tim Owhefere described the development as unpalatable due to the inauspicious social and economic impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Owhefere, who represents Isoko North Constituency, noted that more than 77 per cent of the funding of 2020 budget was projected on oil revenue, but regretted that the price of crude oil has crashed to an unbearable level.

He stressed that the state government can no longer finance the budget as approved, hence the need to downsize in line with the prevailing economic tides forced on it by exigencies brought about by the global plague.

Other lawmakers who contributed commended Governor Okowa for being proactive in the governance of the state, maintaining that the proposed revised budget was expected.

ASSEMBLY PASSES DELTA STATE REVISED 2020 APPROPRIATION LAW

**** HOUSE ALSO PASSES DELTA STATE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE BILL, 2020

The Delta State House of Assembly, on Wednesday at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori passed the State Revised Appropriation Law.

The House also passed the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Bill, 2020.

Speaking after they were passed, Rt Hon Oborevwori commended members for a job well done.

"Esteemed Colleagues, I salute all of us on a job well done. Approval of Government expenditure is one of the key functions of a Legislative House and this is what we have all demonstrated today", he said

According to him; "These are extra ordinary times, the outbreak of COVID -19 has affected the economy of countries all over the world, I must therefore, thank His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for his foresight in seeing the need to present a Revised Budget for year 2020 to meet the realities on ground. My dear colleagues, it is imperative that as an arm of government, we continue to support the Executive to see our dear state through these trying times".

On the passage of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Bill, the Speaker said that; " My dear colleagues, the passage of this Bill is a right step in the right direction for the economy of our dear state. As we all know, we are in unprecedented times, the price of crude oil has dropped to its lowest in history and there is no better time to move away from over dependence on oil and Federal allocation than now".

"This Bill will undoubtedly enhance the administration and collection of the different taxes, tariffs, rates, fees and charges in the state. This will in turn boost the economy of our dear state", he said.

The Speaker added that; "Once again dear colleagues, I thank you for your tenacity and commitment in ensuring that we pass this Bill".

By Hon. Ben Rollands Igbakpa

Notes that whereas there is widespread global concern about the fraudulent, irregular and underhand characteristics of Chinese loan contracts with African states which has resulted to a new form of economic colonialism foist by China, there is an urgent need to subject all subsisting Nigeria/ China contractual loan agreements to forensic fiscal scrutiny and review.

Aware that records from Nigeria's Debt Management Office ( DMO ) reveals that the People’s Republic of China emerged Nigeria’s major creditor under the bilateral deals, with $2.3b, out of $3.3b. And that The EXIM Bank of China is Nigeria's biggest bilateral creditor in nearly 2 decades, having lent the African largest economy $6.5 billion (or N1.9 trillion) since 2002.

Further aware that based on separate Freedom of Information replies by the Finance Ministry and the Debt Management Office, DMO, and published by Guardian Sunday Magazine of 03 November 2019, Nigeria has obtained 17 Chinese loans to fund projects across sectors since 2002 as follows:

Transportation and ICT sectors have six projects each financed by loans from the Chinese bank, while energy, agriculture and water sectors, respectively, have three and two projects tied to Chinese loans.

Notes further that according to the Daily Post of Sept 5, 2018, the first Chinese loan to Nigeria was agreed on March 27, 2002 as follows: $114.89 million each for constructing two 335 MW gas power plants, namely Omotosho and Papalanto (Olorunshogo) in Ondo and Ogun State, respectively. Both plants were completed in 2007. The loan was obtained at six per cent interest rate. The loan covered 65 per cent of the costs of the project, while Nigeria then covered the 35 per cent balance.

Four months after, two other loans totalling $159.83 million for rural telephony were offered at a 3.5 per cent interest rate. Then from 2006 to September 2018, the country obtained 13 more loans, at between 2.50 per cent and 3 per cent interest rates. The last loan obtained by the government from China was $328 million used for the National ICT Infrastructure Backbone II Project. At the last count Nigeria has obtained 17 Chinese loans to fund different categories of capital projects and Nigeria would still be serving the Chinese loans till around 2038, the maturity date for the last loans obtained in 2018.

Concerned that the IMF as reported in the Guardian of Nov.3 2019 had raised the alarm that most of the Chinese deals are not Paris Club compliant, and for which the The World Bank has blacklisted six Chinese companies currently operating in Nigeria over alleged fraudulent corrupt practices including deceptive tactics, illicit trade, extortion, Greek gifts and neo- colonial proclivities.

The companies, according to an announcement published on the World Bank’s website, are CCECC Nigeria Railway Company Limited, CRCC Petroleum and Gas Company Limited and CCECC Nigeria Company Limited.

Others are China Railway Construction (International) Nigeria Company Limited, China Railway 18th Bureau Nigeria Engineering Company Limited and CCECC Nigeria Lekki (FTA) Company Limited.

Further concerned that one of the blacklisted companies, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is the major vehicle through which Chinese projects in Nigeria are financed. This much has been corroborated by Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who stated that since China was financing the projects through the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractors had 100 per cent execution right on them. This means that materials and skills are imported from China thus undermining local industry and jobs.

Conscious of the fact that some of the latest loans tied to the said CCECC as reported in Guardian of 03/3/2020 are as follows: On railway alone, this administration has recently signed loans mainly categorised under Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)’s government to government agreements of approximately $17 billion with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway Construction Corporation.

The Federal Government in 2016 signed a $5.1billion Kano – Kaduna and Port Harcourt- Calabar rail contracts; in 2018, the country signed a $6.7billion for Ibadan -Kano rail; it signed in 2019, a deal worth $1.488billion for Lagos – Ibadan rail and again in 2019 signed another loan for construction of $3.9billion Abuja – Warri rail.

Worried amidst widespread allegations of heavily inflated Chinese contracts and fears expressed by stakeholders that most of the projects allegedly did not follow extant regulations, particularly the Public Procurement Act, which enforces tendering or competitive bidding.

Similarly, industry watchers have also raised fears over why the Public Procurement Bureau (PPB), the National Assembly and Debt Management Office were bypassed in the approval and execution of these loan regimes, knowing full well that 70 per cent of the corruption in the country is being fuelled by contracts.

Notes too that Nigeria is the most vulnerable in the bilateral loan pacts with China because we are susceptible to currency volatility risks. Such risks, most often are transferred to the country with a weaker economy. In this connection, we must heed the warning of the IMF Director of Monetary and Capital Markets Department, Tobias Andrian, who said in the Guardian Sunday Magazine of
03 November 2019, that because these Chinese loans do not conform to the Paris Club standards, if there is any debt restructuring down the road one day, that can be very unfavourable to those debtor countries.

Further concerned that according to Business Day, May 14, 2019, countries like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe,Djibouti, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya and Angola among other countries are at the verge of forfeiting their infrastructures to China over unpaid debts, industry watchers such as Obadiah Mailafiya, a former Deputy Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, who played a key role in Nigeria’s debt relief negotiations with the Paris Club of public creditors in 2005, and Dr. Oby Ezekwesili who also helped Nigeria's debt forgiveness during her time as Director at the World Bank
have warned that the assistance from China will come with a price of economic takeover if Nigeria is unable to repay her loan.Chinese attitude to Indebtedness is the hardest in the world, they don't offer debt relief or cancellation.

Further worried by the startling revelation as published in an online article by Mma Ama Ekeruche in Stears Business : Economy 26 Oct, 2018, that Chinese companies generate their highest revenue from Nigeria. Between 2000 and 2016, these companies have earned $34.2 billion from implementing projects in Nigeria, some of which are tied to loan agreements. On employment, about 64,500 Chinese workers are employed locally thus we are forgoing alternative streams of income and jobs.

Resolves:

1. That since the National Assembly had been put in the dark on how most of these Chinese loans were collected and utilised, Yet we appropriate, a high powered Investigation Committee be set up by this honourable House to look into all extant China/Nigeria loan agreements since 2000 with a view to ascertaining their viability, regularising and renegotiating them.

2. That in the light of the COVID 19 starting from China, the House Committees on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements, Finance as well as Debt Management be mandated to liaise with the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office to seek for review or outright cancellation of latest China loans to Nigeria, on the principle of force majeur.

3. That henceforth the National Assembly should imbibe the practice of conducting public hearings, which will give stakeholders opportunities to voice their views before new loans are approved; in order to weed out phantom projects that are not in tandem with statutory obligations in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

https://edufirst.ng/educational_project/skool-media-digital-teacher-competition-south-south-zone/


*All Previous Votes have been cancelled Due To Some Technical Reasons.*

Please and please, Kindly go to the site and vote for my brother as a digital teacher of the year.

Click on d link and scroll down. After the names, click on ''Click Here To Vote'', thereafter, enter your email address and click on the name *Jeroh Ejayeta*
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Thank you.

Pls vote and rebroadcast

Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Delta Governor, has explained that Tuesday’s announcement of relaxation of the lockdown in the state was predicated on the governor’s compassion for citizens, saying it was to rekindle micro and small business activities.

Lockdown in the state began on April 1 for 14 days and was extended for another 14 days from April 15 as part of measures against the spread of COVID-19. The order was preceded by the closure of all entry points into the state, including airports and seaports, on March 29.

According to Ifeajika, in an interview with Silverbird News 24 monitored via Skype in Asaba on Wednesday, the governor compassionately relaxed the lockdown to enable daily income earners eek a living.

He said that since the stay-at-home directive was given, majority of persons in daily income bracket were cut off from their sources of ``daily bread’’ and had mounted agitation and plea to the government to reconsider the order.

``The governor, being a very compassionate leader, with the interest of his people at heart, had to partially relax the lockdown for economic activities to resume.

``It is, however, with a proviso that everyone must wear a face mask in public places henceforth,’’ he said, adding that there were still some rules that the people must abide with.

The governor’s spokesman stated that "so far, it's been fine in the state, because from the onset, the governor took proactive measures even when the state had not recorded any confirmed case of the virus.

"We put all the things that needed to be on ground; we established four isolation and treatment centres while frontline health personnel were adequately trained and re-trained for the pandemic.

"Incidentally, two weeks into the scourge, we recorded the Index case in the state and then the second one, who died in the process because he presented himself very late and also had underlying health issues.

"So far, we have seven cases, with two deaths and three are active and doing very well while two were discharged yesterday (Tuesday), having tested negative two times. It's been wonderful and we pray that nothing negative happens again as far as the pandemic is concerned."

On why government partially relaxed the lockdown, Ifeajika stated that Okowa, ``being a leader, who listens to his people and cares about their plight, allowed businesses to resume so that those who earn daily living can continue to fend for themselves.

"For the type of person he is, the governor listened to the people and relaxed the lockdown partially to allow some business activities to resume but with a proviso that everybody coming to the public must have the face mask on.

"And, to help in this regard, the state government produced one million face masks to distribute free to the people. These may not be enough, but will definitely go a long way in letting people know that it's what we need to save lives."

Ifeajika said that distribution of the face mask had commenced on Tuesday, adding that a law would be enacted to enforce its compulsory usage in public places.

"The distribution of the face masks started yesterday at the Ward level; the whole essence is that from tomorrow, April 30, it will be enforced seriously - everybody coming to the public from wherever must wear the face mask, and it is going to be backed by a law.

"A Bill on it will go to the House of Assembly for a proper law to be enacted so that it becomes unlawful for you not to have your face mask on in public places.

"It's all about caring for the people, because there are those who live by the day; if they don't work they won't eat. So, the governor felt that let all the people come out and eek a living.

"For transporters, the Keke or tricycle, for instance, the new law is that the Keke operator will only carry two persons at the back, and the taxi will carry one person in front and two at the back.

``Buses that have the capacity to carry between 16 and 18 persons, they are now permitted to carry between 10 and 12 persons. Anything outside this is unlawful.

"For restaurants, canteens and bars, they are permitted to run on a take-away basis - anybody who comes, buys whatever he wants to buy and takes it away.

"The night clubs, cinemas and bars remain banned until May 31. The relaxation of the lockdown is to allow people eek-out a living somehow, but that is not to say that it is total relaxation.

``We still have some guides that they will have to abide with, and that is where we are," he added.

Ifeajika also stated that the governor called for support from well-meaning individuals and organizations for the production and distribution of more face masks to Deltans, as he did for food palliatives to the people.

"Like the food (palliatives) distributed to the people, you will recall that the governor, when he announced that the state had established a food bank, also called on well-meaning Deltans and institutions to support the government.

``Truly, some persons, groups and organizations came and supported the government to give to the indigents.

"The same way it is that the one million face masks will not go round everybody and it is believed that those who can afford it should be able to make some for themselves and even give to their neighbours.

"There are so many public places that people will want to access and the idea is to continue to save lives and stop the spread of the virus.

``So, the governor has asked Deltans, who are well-meaning, to support government by producing face masks, because if I have one and the next person also has, it will help to reduce the spread of the virus," he stated.

By Sunday Apah, Ughelli

Special Adviser to the Governor on DESOPEDEC Matters, Rt. Hon. Evelyn Omavowan Oboro Esq. has commended Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta state over the appointment of Alhaji Suleiman Jauro as member, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.

Oboro in her speech, during Alhaji Jauro visit to her country home in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area on Saturday, commended the Governor for the appointments of persons with credible credentials into his government, remarking that the governor by his action has demonstrated good traits of qualitative leadership.

She said, so far the governor’s appointments has cut across ethnic, zones and religious lines, appealing to the non-indigenes and Muslim community in Uvwie Local Government Area to give the governor their total support to enable him provide more dividends of democracy to the people.

Oboro, Former Federal House of Representatives member, while congratulating Alhaji Jauro, described him as a politician who has distinguished himself considering what he had done personally for the PDP. “His appointment indicates good omen for the Muslim community because he has demonstrated times without number that he is a true patriot of the Peoples Democratic Party with his continuous support for the party and Governor Okowa’s administration.

“I heartily commend our dear Governor on the choice of Alhaji Suleiman Jauro as member, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board. I have known Jauro as a focused, brilliant and hardworking gentleman Delta state can boast of. He is coming to the position of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board with a robust knowledge of the workings of government”, she reiterated.

Oboro, the Delta Central Senatorial Candidate of the PDP in the last general elections, used the opportunity to appeal to Deltans to continue to adhere to the state government guidelines in handling the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining social/physical distance, frequent hand washing, wearing of facemask public places and use of sanitizers in order to contain spread of the virus in the state and Nigeria at large.

The report is a win win for Deltans.

God bless Hon Victor

The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Delta ranked as second least poor state in the country.

The bureau, in its latest Poverty Index Report, ranked Delta second after Lagos among the states with low poverty rate, and said that 40.1 per cent of Nigeria's total population was poor. According to it, an average of four out of 10 individuals in Nigeria have real per capita expenditures below N137, 430 per year, meaning that monthly income of an individual in this category is less than N11,500 while income per day is N383.03.

The report said "Lagos State has 4.50 per cent poverty head count rate and closely trailed by Delta with 6.02 per cent.

"The report translates to over 82.9 million Nigerians considered as poor by national standard.”

In his reaction, Commissioner for Information in Delta, Mr Charles Aniagwu, on Tuesday said in Asaba that the report was a reflection of the ``Prosperity for all Deltans’’ agenda being vigorously pursued by the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa administration.

He also stated that due to the enabling investment climate created by the Okowa led government, particularly in oil bearing communities, Delta had been one of the highest revenue earners from Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) which also indicated that the state government had been putting into judicious use the monies accrued to the state.

Aniagwu thanked the NBS for conducting living standards survey 10 years after the last one and for using consumption expenditures approach in measuring poverty in Nigeria rather than income approach.

According to him, conceptually, consumption expenditures better reflect the achievements of a particular level of welfare by a household, while income represents the opportunity of reaching a certain level of well-being.

"The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Monday, May 4, 2020, released the long-awaited Nigeria Poverty and Inequality Survey Report 2019.

"The report places Delta State as the second least poor (poverty reduction milestone) State in Nigeria, after Lagos.

“This particular survey, conducted with support from the World Bank, recorded a clear departure from the previous exercises, especially in the area of methodology where the consumption expenditures approach was adopted.

“With the new national poverty line at N137, 430 or $361 per person per annum, which translates to $0.98 per day and captures about 40 per cent of the total population, it shows considerable improvement over the years.

"In the last couple of years Delta has remained one of the highest earners in the country in terms of crude oil revenues due to the peaceful relations between International Oil Companies IOCs and host communities.

"The Okowa administration in his first tenure promised Deltans prosperity for all and in his second term he said he would build a stronger Delta in terms of the economy, projects and of course, peaceful relations.

"The NBS rating is a pointer to the fact that Delta's resources have been put to judicious use by the Okowa-led government thereby reducing poverty to a level that we can boldly say that we are working.

"Our desire as a state is to come top in the country and also further improve the standard of living of Deltans in line with best global standards," he stated.

The report indicated that Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Yobe and Adamawa lead the poorest states in the country.

The survey is used to measure prevalence of poverty and to estimate a wide range of socio-economic indicators, including benchmarking of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Councillor representing the people of Udu Ward 16 Known as Otebor Quarters in Orhuwhorun Community which comprises of Ekreseha, Ekrekun, Ubughere, Usiefrun Road, Ojikpata 1 & 2 in Udu LGA of Delta State, Hon. Victor Akpojotor has shared food items and nose masks to his Constituents in order to cushion and as while prevent the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in the ward.

The presentation of the items which took place at Oseha Hall, Orhuwhorun, had Mr. Thankgod Agolokigho- Otebor Chairman, Rt. Hon. Ejiro Kayan- Leader, Chief James Toka- Leader, Comr. Moses Asaba- Non-indigenes' Chairman and host of others in attendance.

Presenting the bags of rice, beans, garri and nose masks to his Constituents, Hon. Akpojotor thanked Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, Hon. (Chief) Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor (JP), member representing Udu in the DTHA, Hon. (Chief) Jite Brown, S.K. Panama, Chief B.J. Egbetamah and others who shared palliatives to Udu communities in general and Orhuwhorun Community in particular in this difficult time, saying, he added these palliatives to the ones his leaders had given to his people to ease the hunger occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.

The Councillor used the medium to appreciate his Constituents for adhering strictly to the social distancing and the use of nose masks at all times. He also admonished them to always maintain personal hygiene and frequent washing of hands with running water in order for them to assist government at all levels to curtail the spread of the Corona virus in the ward.

Speaking on behalf of the people, Mr. Thankgod Agolokigho- Chairman, Otebor Quarters, Rt. Hon. Ejiro Kayan-Leader, Chief James Toka-Leader, Comr. Moses Asaba-Chairman, Non-indigenes have all commended Hon. Akpojotor for his kindness towards his people at this trying period and they all prayed that God should protect him and grant him his heart desires in life.

Delta Government has warned that anyone seen in public without face mask would be taken to any of the Isolation Centres in the state.

Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu, made this known in Asaba on Monday and said that the measure was part of the resolutions reached at a meeting of the Technical Committee for the Prevention of Covid-19 in Delta.

According to Aniagwu who briefed the media at the end of the meeting, relaxing the lockdown for economic reasons should not jeopardize the safety of the people.

He said that the compulsory use of face mask by all individuals appearing in public has commenced across the state, and that persons seen in public without the mask would be taken straight to the isolation centre, ``because it will mean that you have the virus and want to infect others’’.

"Anybody seen in a tricycle, `Okada’ or taxi without face mask will lead to the impounding of the tricyle, okada or taxi, and any business centre that attends to a customer who is not putting on face mask risks being closed permanently.

"The Technical Committee for the Prevention of Covid-19 in Delta met this afternoon and the meeting was presided by our Governor, and at the meeting, it was resolved that all health workers involved in the management of Covid-19 will receive their allowances before the end of the week.

"Also, other support staff involved in the management of Covid-19 in the health sector will also be insured," Aniagwu said.

He restated that the period of the curfew in the state remained between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., and reaffirmed that no vehicle would be allowed into the State during the period, irrespective of the consignment being conveyed.

"We have created more mobile courts for the issue of adjudication for those persons who will not obey the law, because as a government, we are committed to applying preventive approach in tackling Covid-19.

"As a government, we have the responsibility to protect our people and the use of face mask which must be worn properly to cover the mouth and nose must be implemented, and we must also know that there is no alternative to social distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and avoid touching of eyes, mouth and ears.

"We should adopt the mentality that every other person is a potential risk; assume that the other person is a carrier for you not to get close," Aniagwu said and urged residents to heed government’s regulations on the management of the pandemic.