Sen. Omo-Agege Moves Senate To Restore Ethiope West(Jesse-Mosogar) State Constituency 1

Sen. Omo-Agege Moves Senate To Restore Ethiope West(Jesse-Mosogar) State Constituency 1

 

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, today successfully moved the Senate to restore Ethiope West (Jesse-Mosogar) State Constituency 1 which shall henceforth have an elected member in the Delta State House of Assembly. The Obarisi of Urhoboland had earlier on December 10, 2020 also moved the Red Chamber to restore Abraka State Constituency to elect its own member to the House of Assembly.

 

Following a detailed motion by the DSP during today’s plenary, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution approving the immediate restoration of Ethiope West State Constituency 1 as a separate and distinct State Constituency in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution.

 

Senator Omo-Agege presented compelling facts supported with valid and subsisting judicial pronouncements confirming that Ethiope West State Constituency 1, which consists of Jesse Ward I, Jesse Ward II, Jesse Ward III, Jesse Ward IV, Mosogar Ward I and Mosogar Ward II, was arbitrarily and unjustifiably suppressed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

 

The DSP’s re-election to the Senate is a privilege and a mandate for more courageous, qualitative, and progressive representation for our people. Today’s resolution is yet another fruitful evidence of that. It proves his seamless capacity to network with other leaders to advance our people’s strategic interests. This will continue, as he is totally committed to his solemn duties.

 

It can only get better through God Almighty who gives grace, strength, and excellence. May the good Lord protect our Obarisi in Jesus name.

Just-ln: Unknown Gunmen Kill A Soldier, Cart Away AK-47 Rifle ln Bayelsa

Just-ln: Unknown Gunmen Kill A Soldier, Cart Away AK-47 Rifle ln Bayelsa

Palpable fear has gripped the people of Apoi Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as unknown gunmen have reportedly killed a military officer and carted away with his AK-47 rifle.

Already, the indigenes of the community have fled the community to neighbouring villages and elsewhere for fear of reprisal attack on the community by the military. It was learnt that the soldier was on official duty to Apoi Community for a pipeline surveillance job when he was gunned down on Monday afternoon. He was said to have been killed in the forest between the boundary of Apoi and Azuzuama communities, where there is a pipeline, the assailants reportedly carted away with his AK 47 rifle, before community folks could get to the spot. When contacted on the development, the Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Army, 16 Brigade, Yenagoa, Capt. Tonye, said efforts were on to reach out to the appropriate quarters to confirm the incident.

Meanwhile, confirming the development, the Community Development Committee, CDC, Chairman, Jepthah Keme, while condemning the incident, said the community was ready to give security agencies every necessary information and assistance. He said the community is restless as such thing has never happened before as they are generally peaceful and law-abiding. 

He said: “As a community, we are restless, we equally condemned the attack, we are working with the security agencies to give them every necessary information and support to bring the perpetrators. 

These people (perpetrators) are not from Apoi, something like this has never happened, they are not from our community and their identity is still unknown. Because of this incident, our people have fled to neighbouring villages and other places. The community is deserted.

Delta Mobile Courts Commence Sitting On COVID-19 Protocol On Wednesday Today

Delta Mobile Courts Commence Sitting On COVID-19 Protocol On Wednesday Today

The Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Marshall Umukoro, on Tuesday announced that mobile courts for non-compliance with COVID-19 protocols would commence sitting across the state on Wednesday. 

Umukoro announced this in Asaba at the reopening of the rebuilt High Court Complex which was burnt down during ENDSARS protests in 2020.

He called on the public to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 protocols to avoid prosecution. 

"As from tomorrow (Wednesday), the mobile court on COVID-19 will start sitting. So, the media should spread the news and let the people know that anybody not wearing face masks from tomorrow will be prosecuted," he stated. 

The chief judge urged youths in the state to live within the ambits of the law, adding that most youths who fell short of the law were products of broken homes. 

"We pray that our youths should be able to live within the limit of the law and morality.  

"Most of the youths who engage in crimes are all products of broken homes. I go for prison visits and mostly all the inmates there are products of broken homes," he said.

Umukoro also announced that the Local Government Elections Tribunals to receive petitions that would arise from the Local Government Councils elections scheduled for March 6, 2021would be inaugurated Feb. 17.

"The law says that, latest two weeks before the election, the Election Petitions Tribunals ought to have been in place. 

"So on the 17th of February, we will inaugurate the tribunals to receive petitions from the three senatorial districts in the state," he stated. 

Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner for Information in the state,, Mr Charles Aniagwu, told newsmen that the state government was building a new high court complex that would accommodate all the judges in Asaba. 

He said Governor Okowa's administration was conscious of access to justice and dispensation of justice in the state hence it embarked on the construction of the high court headquarters. 

"Of course, you are aware of the new High Court building that is ongoing.  

"A six-storey building that will house the office of the CJ and other Judges and it will be well digitalised to help in the speedy dispensation of justice," Aniagwu said.

Operation Show Your PSP Receipt: Taskforce, Waste Mgt Begin Enforcement ln Delta

Operation Show Your PSP Receipt: Taskforce, Waste Mgt Begin Enforcement ln Delta

The Delta State Taskforce on Environment on Tuesday joined the Waste Management Board to enforce compliance of Private Sector Participants (PSP) patronage. 

It was observed that most residents of Uvwie and Warri prefers to patronize the cart pushers who had no knowledge of proper waste disposal rather than patronizing the Government recognised organ saddled with the responsibility of disposing wastes in a professional manner. 

Reacting to complaints from residents of Commissioner str, opp. Ekpan General hospital among other streets, the Delta State Taskforce Chairman on Environment, Honourable Sylvester Oromoni said that the generation of waste and it's disposal, collection, transport are important for healthy ecosystems and the health of our people remain sacrosanct. 

He said the patronage of cart pushers had given birth to illegal dump sites across the various local government areas of the state, mostly the urban local government areas. 

According to him, main health outcomes have been found to be statistically associated with waste exposure caused by delayed evacuation and they are: gastrointestinal, dermatological, respiratory, genetic, and several other kinds of infectious diseases. 

"So, it is expected of the PSP operators to be up and doing. My private investigation shows that some of the operators do not have trucks, they will have to wait for few ones that have trucks to finish with their zones so they can rent it from them to evacuate their own zones. 

"That's irresponsiblity. If you are not ready to invest money to upgrade your business, give room for others who have the capacity to serve the people as at when due," Oromoni stressed. 

He said so many residents had lost faith with the PSP and decided to patronize the cart pushers who are more efficient and prompt than the PSP operators.  

"This must not continue, they should understand that human beings generally do not keep waste for too long. Two weeks is too long for evacuation of wastes from residents. 

"In the face of increasing population level and rapid urbanization, the increased urbanization with large population density has further intensified these concerns, unless we take urgent effective steps to improve solid waste management now will give birth to many illegal dump sites. 

"Little attention is given to waste disposal by the PSP and we won't tolerate that practices any more as it is gives room to heaps of wastes in the major cities littering the streets, dumped indiscriminately in drainages, vacant plots and open space especially in the developing cities and this has contributed not only to the spread of communicable diseases in the affected areas; it has effect on flooding and other environmental problems," Oromoni stated.

Okowa Schools Upgrade: Ndokwa Nation Demands Fair Share Of Tertiary lnstitutions

Okowa Schools Upgrade: Ndokwa Nation Demands Fair Share Of Tertiary lnstitutions

Richardson Ogwezzy

It was a thing of great joy to the people of Delta State when the Governor, His Excellency, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa presented a Bill to the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Sheriff Oborewori for the upgrade of three institutions of higher learning to full fledged universities.

The people of the state see the proposal as laudable because when it is achieved it will go a long way in achieving his S.M.A.R.T agenda, principally on his educational policies and by implication, strategic wealth creations, projects and provision of jobs for Deltans. It is pertinent to know that educational policies cannot be achieved without relevant institutions of higher learning like universities.

Frankly speaking, the establishment of the three Universities in Delta State will give room to an avalanche of job opportunities and increase the rate of economic activities within the state. Most importantly, with the teeming population of students seeking admission into the few available vacancies within the Universities in the state. It therefore becomes imperative to establish additional Universities. Besides, it will reduce the risk and stress of Delta State students seeking admission in distant states of the federation. Not only that, the cost or rate by parents’ expenditure on their children’s education will be reduced because Universities are nearby.

Apart from that, with the high level of insecurity in Nigeria, students within the state that should have gained admission in other states that are prone to issues of insecurity, which would have placed their lives and their parents/guardians in perpetual fear, may decide to take advantage of the proximity of the newly established Universities.

The equitable distribution of such milestone development in a state like Delta if not wisely looked into, may be misunderstood by many. This is because some may feel cheated or neglected and may have ill-feelings rather than praying for the quick establishment of the Universities. Observation has shown that many have been bickering over the choice and locations of the Universities. Instead of thanking the Governor for the unrivaled, unprecedented and unparalleled venture. Knowing full well that the dwindling revenue in the country as occasioned by Covid-19 has negatively affected developmental projects in the country. This was evidenced in some widely circulated publications in the media. Such feelings, I think should be discarded because Delta State is one and must always reman one bearing in mind that Deltans have been living peacefully when we had no University. Now that the developmental initiatives of our past and present state government have brought us thus far educationally, let us embrace the proposal with open hands and utmost sincerity.

If any ethnic nationality is to complain, I think it is the Ndokwa ethnic nationality. In virtually all ethnic nationalities, it is the people of Ndokwa that is grossly marginalised in the aspect of institutions of higher learning. *The people are aware that the perennial neglect on the aspect tertiary institutions is an offshoot of past administration. Your Excellency sir, the people of Ndokwa also know that you have great love for them which was made manifest especially in your political appointments, because they were given juicy appointments. This has never been recorded in Ndokwa politics since the beginning of the nascent democracy. Moreso, in the aspect of developmental projects, Ndokwa ethnic nationality was not left out in the scheme of things. This is laudable. The dire need of institutions of higher learning in the area has become a bane and a case of serious concern which the people have been praying fervently for you to use your good offices to give them a facelift now that establishment of tertiary institutions has become imperative. By the calculations of an average Ndokwa person, he knows that, your administration will make Ndokwa take her pride of place by God’s grace.*

All and sundry should keep in mind, that the three Local Government Areas that make up Ndokwa are among the major oil producing areas in Delta State. Recall also that the people are the second to the largest ethnic group in Delta State. Yet, there are no dividends in terms of provision of tertiary institutions to show for the large population and enormous economic endowment of natural rich resources.

The people of Ndokwa at home and diaspora sincerely commend the priceless gesture of His Excellency, Sen.(Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa and pray him to consider the plight of Ndokwa nationality in terms of institutions of higher learning.The outright marginalisation are at times mistaken by some persons as due largely to the factors such as, the Ndokwa politicians are weak, selfish and self-serving. Hence, they lack the political will power to lobby and attract meaningful developmental projects to their areas. These are sayings of distractions that are highly detrimental to Ndokwa developmental agenda. And such ideas should be nipped at its bud.

Your Excellency sir, with due respect, the people of Ndokwa are of the opinion, that you can still make a great difference in addressing the injustice and abject lack of fair play in responding to the dreams and aspirations of the neglected people by former political leaders.

In a kind of flashback, during the defunct Bendel State, under the administration of Prof. Ambrose Alli, Bendel State House of Assembly passed into law for the establishment of Industrial College of Technology, at Kwale. Everything about the College ended in a Legislative documentation and government gazette.

Furthermore, under the administration of the immediate past Governor of Delta State, His Excellence Dr. E.E Uduaghan, there was an approval, after due legislative processes and executive accent to a bill for establishing Delta State Polytechnic, Aboh. Everything about the proposed institution appeared to have been buried after commencing work at the site. One day, Ndokwa leaders, and all political office holders that fought assiduously to see that the Bill establishing the Polytechnic, got the accent of the Governor will explain to peace loving Deltans why the polytechnic became a shattered dream.

Very recently, our distinguished representative at the National Assembly, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, the current Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the Senate, saw the pitiable state and the urgent need for tertiary institutions in Ndokwa land. He fought doggedly to ensure that Federal Polytechnic is established in Kwale. After the bill passed some necessary legislative processes, it was truncated by heavy weight legislators. Today, nothing is heard about the proposed Federal Polytechnic, Kwale.

The list below shows the institutions of higher learning in Delta State by Senatorial Districts

Delta North Senatorial District

(1) Delta State University, Anwai, Campus

(2) Federal College of Education(Technical) Asaba

(3) Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku

(4) College of Education, Agbor

(5) School of Nursing, Agbor

(6) Delta State School of Midwifery, Asaba.

Delta Central Senatorial District

(1) Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun

(2) Delta State University, Abraka

(3) Petroleum Training Institute(PTI), Effurun

(4) Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara

(5) Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe

(6) College of Education, Mosogar

(7) Baptist Hospital

School of Nursing, Eku

(8) Delta State School of Midwifery, Sapele

(9) College of Health Technology, Ufuoma

Delta South Senatorial District

(1) Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko

(2) Delta State University, Oleh Campus

(4) Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro

(5) Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu

(6) College of Education, Warri

(7) Delta State School of Nursing, Warri.

The list above shows without equivocation that Ndokwa nation has sheer neglect from past successive administration in the distribution of tertiary institutions.

In all frankness, the neglect of Ndokwa nation on the establishment of tertiary institutions should not be attributed to any one at all. The beauty and glory of it all is that we have an altruistic Governor, a Political Restorer who has been restoring all things in the State since his assumption of office. The case of Ndokwa on the aspect of tertiary institutions I believe Almighty God ought not to be different.

I hereby appeal to all our major political office holders, political stakeholders, religious leaders, traditional leaders, academia, The Ndokwa Neku Union(NNU) and other well meaning Ndokwa sons and daughters to take the issue at stake as cogent and relay it to the Governor as a people *ibe ku ibe anu* at least if the earlier approved polytechnic at Aboh, could not be reawakened because of any reason, Utagba Ogbe Technical College, Kwale, has all it takes to be upgraded to a full fledged Polytechnic. On the alternative, a campus of any of the Universities at the Governor’s discretion could be located in Ndokwa land.

The people of Ndokwa once again appreciate His Excellency, Sen.(Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa for his bold step taken to upgrade our existing tertiary institutions to full fledged Universities. It is our sincere hope that Ndokwa should have a fair share of the dividends of your good governance particularly on the aspect of institutions of higher learning.

Apostle Suleman Sues Pst. Davids N5bn On Alleged Character Defamation

Apostle Suleman Sues Pst. Davids N5bn On Alleged Character Defamation

Senior Pastor and General Overseer, Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has instituted legal actions against one Pastor Mike Davids who accused him of interfering in his marriage.

Apostle Suleman, through his legal team led by Osa Director Esq, For: Osa Director And Co, is launching a N05bn suit at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, against Pastor David for “conspiracy to blackmail and defamation of character.”

In a statement to newsmen on Friday, the man of God, through his legal team, also revealed that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu has, in a suit with Number: FHC/ABJ/CS/115/2021, also approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to arrest Pastor Davids over petition of alleged blackmail, defamation and threat to Apostle Suleman.

The statement said pastor David, who was expelled from the ministry since 2018 for “acts inimical to the body of Christ has for the past six years been attempting to blackmail Apostle Suleman.”

It said, “He constantly threatened and boasted that he will bring down Apostle Suleman and Omega Fire Ministries down, of which our client has audio and video evidence to expose his threats and blackmail,”

The statement reads thus:

“It has come to our knowledge that one Mike David has purportedly filed a law suit against our client, Apostle Johnson Suleman and seeking two billion naira as damages for allege interference in his marriage which has since been dissolved a few years ago.

We are yet to be served with any court process. However, our client has refrained from joining issues with the said Mike David as his utterances are mere hallucinations of a man on the fringes of lunacy and desperation to survive.

For the record, Mike David was a pastor in our client”s church but expelled since 2018 for acts inimical to the body of Christ. He has for the past six years been attempting to blackmail Apostle Suleman. He constantly threatened and boasted that he has materials in his possession to embarrass Apostle Suleman with and his recent video allegations is one of such materials and tools of blackmail.

In short, he has been boasting that he will bring down Apostle Suleman and Omega Fire Ministries down, of which our client has audio and video evidence to expose his threats and blackmail. The matter was reported to the Nigerian Police Force.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/115/2021 seeking the arrest and detention of the said Mike David.

Also, Apostle Suleman is instituting a law suit against Mike David at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja seeking Five Billion Naira damages for conspiracy to blackmail and defamation of character.

As believers in the rule of law and judiciary, we hope justice will be served and clearly so at the end of the day,” the statement concluded.

Delta ljaw Proposed Hosting Of Ibori ln February Postponed, Says Mulade

Delta ljaw Proposed Hosting Of Ibori ln February Postponed, Says Mulade

..... A new date will be announced soon

The Ijaw People in Delta State (IPDS), on Saturday February 6th 2021, announced the indefinite postponement of the planned hosting of the former Delta State Governor Chief James Onanefe Ibori, scheduled for February, 2021. 

The reason for the postponement of the event in a statement by the convener, Chief (Comrade) Mulade Sheriff, is to comply with the Federal government’s directive on large gatherings. 

The postponement was a painful decision by the organizing committee to adhear strictly to the Federal Government’s instruction on COVID-19.

Chief Mulade said they were expecting a massive turnout of over twenty thousand sons and daughters of Ijaw Nation and others from Delta State and Niger- Delta to grace the epic occasion in Bomadi town,  Bomadi LGA where they have chosen for the event.

While expressing regrets over the postponement and inconveniences this must have caused invited guest and the general public who may have tailored their affairs to be at the occasion, Chief Mulade said it is very pertinent that we should be conscious of our health by protecting ourselves and others by staying safe. He assured the people that a new date will be announced soon.