13022020

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 — 33
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
HIV/AIDs TEST: From
left — Rhoda Robinson,
Executive Director,
HACEY Health Initiative;
Omobolanle Victor-
Laniyan, Head, Sustainability,
Access Bank Plc
and Oyetola Oduyemi,
Africa Regional Adviser,
The EndFund during the
free HIV/AIDs test and
sensitisation on neglected
tropical diseases in
Nigeria & Africa to all
Marathoners and attendees
sponsored by
Access Bank Plc at the
Lagos City Marathon.
Photo: KEHINDE SHO-
MOLA.
Lawmakers reject proposed A'Ibom
nuclear plant project
My legacy projects'll be reference point in
Bayelsa — Dickson
By Samuel
Oyadongha
Y ENAGOA—GOV
ERNOR Seriake
Dickson of Bayelsa State,
has said that the execution
of various legacy projects
by his administration
would remain a reference
By Harris Emanuel
U YO—CRITICISMS
have continued to
trailed the proposed nuclear
power facility planned
for the oil rich in Akwa Ibom
State as the State House of
Assembly, has also kicked
against the establishment
of the project in the state.
The project is to be sited in
Oku Iboku community, Itu
Local Government Area of
the state.
But the House in a resolution
vehemently rejected
plan and called on the state
government not to release
any parcel of land in the
state for it.
This followed on a motion
tabled by a member representing
Itu State Constituency,
Kufreabasi Edidem
who said that the project
was not in tandem with international
standards guiding
the implementation of
civil nuclear programmes
across the globe.
Accordibg to him, despite
warnings from the International
Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) that Nigeria
lacks the technical competence
to handle nuclear issues,
the National Atomic
Energy Commission
(NAEC) has not relented in
its decision to proceed with
the nuclear project in Itu
LGA.
He added that the 6th
House of Assembly also
kicked against the project,
yet the regulatory body was
point in the history of the
state development.
Dickson, who spoke when
he commissioned the Multi
Door Court House at the
State High Court Complex
in Yenagoa, also commissioned
some high profile
internal roads within the
still adamant on it's establishment
in the state.
He said, "The 6th Akwa
Ibom State House of Assembly
through a motion
moved by Mr. Nse Essien,
member representing
Onna State Constituency,
rejected the planned nuclear
power plant, urging the
Federal Government to instead
of the dangerous venture,
explore other available
and harmless sources of
power in the state, including
increasing the capacity
of the Ibom Power Plant."
He further cited constant
emission of radioactive radiations,
discharge of
non-biodegradable radioactive
wastes, absorption
into ecosystem and food
chain, as some dangers
Akwa Ibom people would
.... Commissions Multi Door Court House, roads
state capital as well as the
Ijaw Heroes Park.
Dickson described the
Multi Door Court House as
one of the restoration government's
main signature
project that would stand tall
to his credit.
He said, "I thank God for
Ambakederimo urges FG to order forensic audit of
N'Delta Ministry .... Says Akpabio should leave NDDC alone
By Jimitota
Onoyume
W ARRI—CONV
ERNER, South
South Reawakening
Group, Mr Joseph Ambakederimo,
has called on
the Federal G overnment to
order a forensic audit of the
Niger Delta Ministry since
its creation in 2007, saying
the activities of the Ministry
has been seemingly
shrouded in secrecy.
Ambakederimo who spoke
to Vanguard in Warri, Delta
State, also called on the
Minister of Niger Delta,
Senator Godswill Akpabio,
to leave the Niger Delta
Development Commission,
NDDC, alone, stressing
that his frequent intervention
in the operations of
the commission was causing
distraction for those
running the place.
“We are also calling for
audit of the Niger Delta
Ministry. What have they
done since 2007, when
they created the ministry?
We want to know. We
want the Minister for Niger
Delta, Senator Akpabio
to sit down to work.
“The Niger Delta Ministry
is as guilty as NDDC.
Since the creation of the
Ministry, what have they
done, what can they pinpoint
to us as achievements?
How much has
been expended? You
leave your ministry to be
talking about NDDC, is
it altruistic?”
He said the Minister
should pay more attention
to ssues in his Ministry,
noting that Nigerians
were disturbed by
the way he had continued
to focus all his energy
on the NDDC as
though it was the only issue
under his Ministry.
“We want to see development
in the region, virgin
forest being pulled
down for roads, houses,
bridges, not just the
Minister gallivanting
from one place to the other
shouting about
NDDC.”
be exposed to, if the nuclear
power plant was cited
in Itu LGA or any other
part of the state.
The Speaker, Aniekan
Bassey while responding,
commend Edidem for the
timeliness of the motion
and urged the Clerk to
communicate the resolution
of the House to the
appropriate quarters.
At plenary also, the
House passed the Bill to
Eliminate Violence in Private
and Public Life, Prohibit
All Forms of Violence
Against Persons and to
provide maximum protection
and effective remedies
for victims and punishment
for Offenders
and Other Matters Connected
Therewith into
law.
the enablement, vision and
strength to initiate this
project that bears our restoration
government's signature.
I thank God that
we led a government that
has affected our development
in a positive manner.
"Long after we have done
our time, this Multi Door
Court House initiated and
completed by our government
and other key projects
would serve as a reminder
to the hard work my team
and I were able to put in
place during our service to
the people of the state."
According to him, the establishment
of the imposing
edifice among other key
infrastructure was indicative
of his desire to expedite
the overall process of
development of Bayelsa
State.
Expressing appreciation to
the leadership and members
of the state judiciary
for their collaborative efforts
in bringing about some
landmark achievement,
Dickson said, his administration
had undoubtedly
tried its best in the service
of the state in the last eight
years.
Reps member handsover newly
constructed classroom blocks
to Bayelsa community
By Emem Idio
Y ENAGOA—THE
member representing
Sagbama/ Ekeremor
Federal Constituency in the
House of Representatives,
Mr Fred Agbedi, has donated
a newly constructed
classroom blocks to Konou
Community Primary
School in Ekeremor Local
Government Area of Bayelsa
State.
Presenting the newly constructed
classroom blocks to
the community during the
formal handing over ceremony
in the community,
Agbedi, commended the
pupils and people of the
community for their desire
for basic education, adding
that he had also contacted
Court reserves ruling on N350m
suit against DSS, expatriate
Delta monarchs laud NPDC/FHN
on free medicare
By Ochuko Akuopha
OZORO—THE Ovie of
Ozoro kingdom,
HRM, Uvietobore Ogbogbo
and his Ellu kingdom
counterpart, HRM Murphy
Urugbezi, Isoko North
Local Government Area,
Delta State, have commended
the Nigeria Petroleum
Development Company,
NPDC, and it’s Joint
Venture Partner, First Hydrocarbon
Nigeria Limited,
FHN, for embarking on free
medical treatment for indigenes
of OML 26 host communities.
Making the commendation
when a team of NPDC/
FHN26 and medical officers
from CECY Health Consult
paid a courtesy visit to
their palaces to intimate
them of the free health programme,
the traditional rulers
noted that the health
the state Ministry of Education
to deploy teachers to
school to meet the needs of
community.
He said, he was moved to
construct the new classroom
blocks when the community
contacted him to
demand for a school building
after the only mud
school structure built in
1954 collapsed some few
years ago.
According to him, the
classrooms blocks project
was constructed under the
2018/2019 zonal intervention
constituency project,
adding that the conducive
learning environment provided
by the new structure
will motivate and encourage
the pupils academic
pursuit.
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – A
Federal High Court sitting
in Benin City, Edo
State, yesterday, reserved
judgment on a N350million
suit instituted by a single
mother, Ms Happy Okojie
against the Department of
State Services, DSS, and a
Lebannese businessman
over her illegal detention
and infringement on her
fundamental human
rights.
Odegua claimed she was
first taken into DSS facility
in Benin City, before she
was whisked to Abuja without
her knowing the offence
she committed.
In the suit, Okojie is claiming
that she was detained
for nine days first at the security
outfit's facility in Benin
City, Edo State and later
in Abuja and denied access
to her lawyer and family
members while her telephone
was also seized.
Besides, she said her
daughter who was in
school when she was
picked had to be rescued
from the streets by her
teacher after crying all day
and night till the following
morning.
Joined in the suit as respondant
are the Director General,
DSS, Director, Edo
Command of the DSS and
Charles Makhoul, a Lebanese
business man
She said at the DSS facility
in Abuja, under video recording,
she was forced to
accept the sum of N6 million
as compensation for
the atrocities meted on her
by the Lebanese business
man, who she had lived
with as a minor to her adult
age.
care scheme would have a
huge impact on indigenes
of the communities.
Ofagbe, Ovrode, Ellu,
Ozoro communities in Isoko
North and Idheze, Isoko
South Local Government
Area of the state, were
among communities that
benefited from the programme
in which hygiene
packs, mosquito nets, medical
kits to aid child birth
were given to pregnant
women alongside the free
medical treatment.
Declaring open the programme,
the GSC Manager,
NPDC/FHN 26 AMT,
Mr. Blessyn Okpowo, said
the initiative was conceived
to “provide quality health
services to the people of
OML 26 host communities
free of charge and to put
them in good state of
health,” noting that the
health of the people comes
first on the community care
agenda of NPDC/FHN26.