22032021 - Govs, APC, PDP, othersrally against attack on Ortom

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021
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Nothing to show for federal allocations,
IGR in N'Delta —Stakeholders
•Commend Akpabio, Akwa, NDDC interim administrator
By Emma Amaize,
Regional Editor,
South-South
U YO—NIGER-DELTA
Stakeholders Forum,
NDSF, weekend, complained
that there was nothing to show
for the huge federal allocations
and Internally Generated
Revenue, IGR, in Niger
Delta region.
The stakeholders also berated
the six governors of
South-South states, saying
they have not done much with
the resources available to
them.
On questions over Niger
Delta governors utilisation of
fund allocations to the region,
Governor Nyesom Wike said,
no citizen from the region,
except Rivers State indigenes,
can question how he utilises
Rivers State resources.
Briefing news men after a
meeting of the Forum at Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State, to brainstorm
on key issues affecting
the region, chairman, NDSF
and South-South Front SSF,
Chief John Harry, said "The
Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, and
state governments as developmental
agencies are not in
any way comparable. The six
South-South governors, individually
and collectively, have
little to show for the billions
collected as Federal Allocation
and Internally Generated
Revenue, IGR.
"The South-South geo-political
zone can no longer be
held hostage by a few people
whose sole aim is to work
<strong>against</strong> the plans of the Federal
Government," adding
that the recent demands of
the South-South governors
on NDDC had sinister import
and was meant to distract the
Federal Government.
"The views of the South-
South governors are really
borne out of crass ignorance
and mischief. The NDDC is
working. Things are really
happening in the region. The
commission is embarking on
people-oriented projects.
There are development
projects going on in the region.
The South-South governors
did not talk from facts at least
concerning the current efforts
of the Commission to develop
the region," he said.
PDF Compressor Free Version
COMMISSIONING: From left—Dr. Chike Ihekweazu D-G, NCDC, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Minister of
State Health, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and Senator Abdul Karim
Jajere, Chairman of the board, FMC, Asaba, during the commissioning of capital projects FMC, Asaba. Photo:
Onojake Nathaniel.
The stakeholders urged
President Muhammadu Buhari
not to play into the hands
of those contributing towards
the underdevelopment of the
South-South geo-political
zone, commending NDDC,
and its managers for taking
concrete steps to ensure quality
service delivery.
"The Niger Delta people are
now beginning to witness
genuine and practical intervention
in their lives and environment
as opposed to
mere linguistic, lackadaisical
and chaotic involvement of
past management team," he
said.
By Samuel
Oyadongha
YState ENAGOA—BAYELSA
government has
urged traditional rulers and
security agencies to complement
its efforts in implementing
the state anti-grazing law
to forestall herders-farmers
crisis in the state.
Deputy Governor, Senator
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo
made the call, yesterday, in
Yenagoa, during a meeting
with first class traditional rulers,
chairmen of local government
areas and some top security
officers.
He said, "I can tell you substantially
that most of our
communities are undergoing
espionage. We have some intelligence,
though not yet confirmed,
that there is a mass
build-up of arms in our various
forests, which we are not
aware of.
"I can assure you that some
of these people, who come into
our communities in the name
of fishing and farming, know
our forests more than us and
they are just waiting for the
time to strike. That's how it
started in the South West and
other places in this country.
"It is already here with us.
So, we should stop playing the
ostrich by trying to cover the
smoke with a basket. It is better
to open up the smoke and
deal with it. Therefore, all
hands must be on deck to nip
the herders/farmers problem
The group praised the Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs,
Senator Godswill Akpabio,
for confronting the challenges
of the development of the
Niger Delta region and bringing
a positive difference in the
lives of the people of the oil
rich region and their environment.
It also lauded, Chief Edwin
Clark, for holding NDDC Interim
Administrator, Mr Effiong
Akwa, in high regard.
Specifically, the key stakeholders
praised Akpabio for
addressing the needs of the oil
producing areas and attending
to such priority projects as
roads, bridges, electricity, water
supply, foreshore walls, jetties
and land reclamation.
Only Rivers can ask how our
monies are spent ---Wike
Reacting, Wike said, "No
citizen of Cross River, Akwa
Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo
states has any right to question
how the resources of Rivers
State is expended.
"Only Rivers State citizens
who elected the Government
have moral justification to
demand for accountability
from my administration
which has implemented several
infrastructural projects in
all the 23 local government
areas of the state."
Anti-grazing law: Bayelsa tasks traditional
rulers, security agencies on implementation
in the bud
"So, this meeting is to enable
us set an agenda on how to do
what is called 'due diligence
and person mapping' for us to
clearly know the people who
come into our communities
in accordance with the law.
"Henceforth, there must be
a way of profiling any person
who is not an indigene that
comes into our communities:
where the person is from, how
long he or she will stay and
what the person will be doing
during his or her period of stay,"
he said.
He restated his advocacy for
government to ascribe a well
Stow emerges leader of Bomadi
LGA Legislative Arm
By Onozure Dania
B OMADI—EBIYEKEFE
Stow has emerged leader
of the 9th Assembly, Bomadi
Local Government
Area Legislative Arm of Delta
State.
This followed the unanimous
decision by the 20
councillors at the maiden
session of the Legislative
Arm at the Bomadi council.
Stow, in his address to the
House, thanked God Almighty
for given him the opportunity
to serve and commended
Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa for being a true
democrat and allowing the
defined constitutional role
and authority to traditional
rulers to enable them contribute
more effectively towards
community and national development.
The meeting had in attendance,
the Chairman, state
House of Assembly Committee
on Security, Benard
Kenebai, Chairman, state Traditional
Rulers Council, King
Alfred Diete-Spiff, the Commissioner
of Police, Mr Mike
Okoli, the State Director of
Security, Local Government
Chairmen, first class traditional
rulers and Divisional
Police Officers, DPOs.
will of the people to prevail
in the March 6, 2021, Delta
State council polls.
He also thanked and appreciated
the Senator representing
Delta South senatorial
district, James Manager,
the House of Representatives,
representing Bomadi/Patani
Federal Constituency,
Mr Nicholas Muturu
and hierarchy of the People's
Democratic Party, <strong>PDP</strong>,
in Bomadi council.
Stow said that, he would
be guided by the local laws
alongside his colleagues to
make bye laws for the good
governance for the people of
the council.
Nigeria's in a difficult time
—Okowa
By Festus Ahon
ASABA—GOVERNOR If
eanyi Okowa of Delta
State, weekend, said Nigeria
is in a very difficult time, adding
that the more the government
pays special attention to
the vulnerable people, the better
the society would be.
Consequently, he said the
country would experience
peace if 25 percent of the subsidy
funds are deployed for an
insurance scheme for the lessprivileged.
Okowa, when he received
the Minister of State for
Health, Dr Olurunnimbe
Mamora, who paid him a
courtesy visit at Government
House, Asaba, urged the Federal
Government to use 25
percent of funds expended on
fuel subsidy to provide health
insurance for vulnerable Nigerians.
Okowa said: "I am glad that
you are in Delta State to inaugurate
the ECR machine at the
Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.
Although we have lost
some lives, God has kept us
safe and the anticipation of the
world didn't come to pass. We
are in a very difficult time in
our nation Nigeria and the
more we pay special attention
to the vulnerable people, the
better the society we will have.
"I thank God that the 7th
Senate passed the National
Health Bill which became an
Act, and I must commend you
and the Ministry for making
funds available for the running
of the basic health care
fund provision. The basic
health care fund provision has
•Urge FG to expend 25% of subsidy
funds on health insurance scheme
come to the aid of local government
areas and the primary
health care centres.
"If we are able to address
health insurance for the vulnerable
in our society, it will
help us to reduce maternal
mortality and the more we are
able to reduce those indices,
the better for us as a nation.
"The money being used to
subsidise fuel today, if 25 per
cent is spent to provide health
insurance for all Nigerians
that cannot afford health care,
it will help us as a nation. We
must continue to direct our
policies in favour of the poor
because if the family is well
enough, it can take care of itself.
"If a reasonable chunk of
that money is spent on the education
of the poor children, it
will help to check insecurity
and unemployment to a large
extent and we must continue
to voice this narrative to
change things in this country."
Speaking further, Okowa
encouraged Nigerians to
make themselves available for
the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine,
saying that it was safe.
The Minister, Dr Olurunnimbe
Mamora, who spoke
earlier, told the governor that
he and his delegation were in
Delta State to inspect facilities
at the FMC, Asaba and
thanked him for his contributions
to the management of
COVID-19 in Nigeria, adding
that as a Senator and Medical
Doctor, Dr Okowa distinguished
himself at the Red
Chamber, and had continued
to distinguish himself as governor.
Agitators to S-South govs: Work
with Akpabio to develop N-Delta
By Emma Amaize
YENAGOA—A coalition
of Niger Delta agitators,
weekend, called on governors
of South South to work with
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,
Senator Godswill Akpabio,
to develop Niger Delta
region and its people.
The group meanwhile,
called out governors of Niger
Delta states, saying recent revelation
by Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC,
that they (governors) collected
N100 million each as Covid-19
palliative has exposed
their hypocrisy.
Chairman, Senate Committee
on Ethics, Privileges
and Public Petitions, Senator
Patrick Ayo Akinyelure, last
week, told reporters in Abuja
that NDDC officials told the
committee that each of the
nine governors of the Niger
Delta states got N100 million
as Covid-19 palliatives.
Coordinator of the 21st
Century Youths of Niger Delta
and Agitators with Conscience,
21st CYNDAC, selfprofessed
"General" Izon Ebi,
in a statement, yesterday, said
"The N100m palliative controversy
just raised by the National
Assembly indicting the
governors of the nine states is
another eye opener concerning
the hypocrisy of our governors
towards the Minister
of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator
Akpabio and NDDC.
"We advise the governors to
work in synergy with Senator
Akpabio, who has demonstrated
leadership and given
to his people dividends of democracy
when he was the
governor of Akwa Ibom state,
rather than playing politics
with the development and
well-being of the Niger Delta
region and its people.
"The 21st CYNDAC takes
exception to the blackmail
and derogatory language
used by one of the governors
of the South- South accusing
the minister of sponsoring
militants <strong>against</strong> South-
South governors. We never
wanted to join issues with our
governors but for the sake of
posterity and to put records
straight. We ask the governor
of Rivers State to tell Nigerians
how much he gave the
21st CYNDAC when we
threatened fresh oil war and
asked President Muhammadu
Buhari to restrain
Transportation Minister, Rotimi
Amaechi in March 2019.
"We appeal to governors of
South-South to concentrate
more energy on their various
states and think of how to deliver
the dividends of democracy
to their people, build industries
to employ the unemployed
youths, organise
meaningful programmes to
engage and discourage the
idle and unemployed youths
from crime and criminality in
their various states in order to
attract foreign investment to
boost their states' economy.
"We expect the governors to
look for an avenue to partner
with Senator Akpabio to
change the ugly narrative of
NDDC and Niger Delta region,
ensure the forensic audit
sees the light of day and
culprits punished for the mismanagement
and stealing of
N19 trillion meant for the development
of the region."