The chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Delta State Council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu has commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for successfully completing the council’s Press Centre which started since 2014.

Ikeogwu gave this commendation at the inauguration of the well furnished journalists’ house on Friday, October 28, 2022 by Governor Okowa.

The highly elated NUJ Chairman noted thay “this day will forever remain indelible in the minds of practicing journalists here in Delta State and beyond.”

“Let me first appreciate God Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth for making this day a reality after 31 years of creation of Delta State.

“That this is happening in our time, means so much to us as a union and to me as an individual, it gives me immense joy that this magnificent edifice is being commissioned under my watch as the Council Chairman.

“Your Excellency, you may not know exactly what you have done for media practitioners in Delta State. For your information, this singular act of putting a roof over our heads and taking us out of the street to become landlords, has etched your name on the sand of times.

“You have given us a name and identity, you have taken us out of Egypt to our promised land. You have put unquenchable smile on the faces of members and defeated the imagination of naysayers praying that we continue to wonder about as normads.

“Your Excellency, that you completed the building project would have given us enough reason to celebrate, but going ahead to tastefully furnish the centre is another monumental achievement that must be counted for your administration.

“I hereby on behalf of the members of our great union express our profound appreciation to you and the government of Delta State for this gift of a press centre. We also commend you for your infrastructural development and other dividends of democracy that you have delivered across the state and urge you not to relent even as you pursue your ambition as the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections.” He stated.

Comrade Ikeogwu appreciated the efforts of the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu who he said committed alot in seeing that the project became a reality.

He equally commended the individual and collective efforts of the immediate past Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the secretary to State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, pioneer chairman of state NUJ, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay and his predecessor, Comrade Norbert Chiazor in the actualization of the Press Centre.

Ikeogwu further noted the effort of the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Olise Ifeajika in ensuring the welfare of journalists in the state.

He appealed to Governor Okowa to consider the provision of operational vehicles for the Union and linking the edifice “to the Independent Power Plant that is serving the State Secretariat for constant power supply. This will enable practitioners who are on duty 24 hours of the day, discharge their duties without hindrance”.

While assuring the governor who is also the vice presidential candidate of the PDP for 2023 general elections of proper media reportage of his administration’s successes to Deltans and Nigerians, Comrade Ikeogwu commended journalists in the state for remaining committed to the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities as watchdogs and thanked them for their continued support to his administration. He promised to continually seek opportunities to upscale their welfare.

In his address, NUJ National President, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, lauded Governor Okowa for encouraging Press Freedom by improving the working condition of journalists in the state.

He said that a free press, independent, vibrant, objective and nationalistic was critical pre-condition for good governance in a democracy.

“In most countries of Africa, especially in Nigeria, in the past years, the greatest advertisement for the democratic dispensation is the free climate of dialogue and debate (free expression) that has been initiated and sustained by the media.

“The existence of an unfettered and independent press is necessary for democracy to flourish. The right to freedom of expression, thought and association will strengthen and encourage accountability of governments to all citizens,”
Isiguzo said.

He said government officials were expected to be honest, responsible, transparent, accountable and efficient in administration and service delivery.

“Where any of these is lacking or is deliberately subverted, it is the responsibility of the media to raise alarm,” Isiguzo stated.

A Frontline pressure group, the Niger Delta Puritans (NDP), says that Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana’s appointment of Engineer Emmanuel Audu- Owhavborua as the acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), connotes a blatant violation of the NDDC Act 2020, and obvious affront to President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.

In a release signed by the group’s coordinator Timipre Ebiuwe, “President Buhari, an avowed stickler for due process had consented to the disengagement of the Interim Administrator of the NDDC, and subsequently approved the appointment of the most senior director to oversee the affairs of the commission pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Gorvening Board in accordance with the Federal Government Circular dated 4th December 2017, with Ref.No.50/S./C.2/268”.

The statement further opined that, for unkown reasons at variance with President Buhari’s directive based on the extant circular, the minister, Okon Umana discarded the commission’s regulations and catapulted Engineer Audu- Owhavborua, the most junior of the three ranking directors, ahead of two superiors; Ms Racheal Oddiri, who was appointed substantive director in 2013 and presently, the most senior director having been with the commission since the days of OMPADEC. There is also Mr Serigha Glasgow, who joined the commission through a former MD, Timi Alaibe as a deputy director. Let it be established that Audu-Ohwavborua who is perceived to be “highly connected is being peddled to mislead Mr President to approve the appointment.

It queried the rationale for appointing another acting Managing Director ,when an interim administrator has just been disengaged.
“We, the Niger Delta Puritans have been impeccably informed that this endless one step forward, two steps backwards movement is being orchestrated to elongate Audu-Owhavborua’s tenure till June 2023 and if encouraged, it will portend grave danger to President Buhari’s unalloyed commitment to the development of the Niger-Delta region”.

By Lucy Ezeliora

As part of it’s effort to support internally displaced persons camped (IDP) in Utagba-Ogbe Technical College, Kwale, Ndokwa West LGA of the State, His Excellency, Sen Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the incoming Vice President of Nigeria has continues his tour across the 19 local government areas of the state.

The governor was received by the incoming Deputy Governor of Delta State Sir, Monday Onyeme alongside some notable leaders from Ndokwa nation to Kwale IDP camp where he sympathized with the flood victims.

Speaking during the visit, Governor Okowa said he feels the pains of those that was affected by the flood, Stating that his administration will do everything to assist them in areas.

He commiserated with them, he urged them to continue praying so that, God in his infinite mercy will send the flood back, he prayed to God to guide and protect the flood victims through out their stay in the camp.

Okowa assured that the PDP headed by Atiku Abubakar by God’s grace in 2023, would spare no effort in ensuring that the construction of dams and desilting of Rivers Niger and Benue gets the desired attention because of the sufferings of Nigerians occasioned by reoccurring flood.

“When we look at the pains that come to our people cumulatively as a result of the flood and the destruction it brings, it is so huge and runs into several billion.

“So, I think that it is something that the Federal Government would consider building a dam across River Niger to prevent this from happening and I believe that the PDP government under the watch of Atiku will truly take that as a priority.

“We are immediately taking care of the people in the camp, which is the first thing to do by providing food, security and healthcare for them here.

“They have been organised into groups and they are cooking for themselves and we ensure that there is a regular supply of food items to cook. So, we are sure that they are not suffering from any form of hunger.

“We can see doctors and nurses here, living under the same conditions as the IDPs just to provide health care. In two of the camps, some pregnant women have already been delivered by medical personnel.

“You can see that they are well taken care of. In previous years, after their return to their homes, we have always provided some form of assistance and we will also do so this year. We are always compassionate,” the governor said.

He called on donor agencies and well-spirited individuals to partner government in alleviating the plights of those affected by the flood, adding that his administration would assist those in IDP camps as soon as the flood was over

Also speaking,Sir. Monday Onyeme
commended Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for his intervention and prompt response to cushion the adverse effects of the flood on the people by setting up various IDP Camps across the various affected LGAs in the State.

Sir Monday Onyeme commiserated with victims of the flood disaster and affected communities across the State, he assured them goverment full support now and always.

Onyeme urged the displaced persons to remain positive stating that in a very short time by God’s grace the flood will be over and everyone will return to their various homes.

Responding, One of the flood victim, Mr Chima who spoke on behalf of the victims thanked Sen Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and his team for caring for them, we never thought of leaving our houses but here we are today because flood he stated, he pleaded with the State government to continue to provide for them until they return their homes.

The high point of the visit was inspection of the Health care center, School, Kitchen, nursing mothers, aged persons and prayers for the victims.

Dignities present at the event includes PDP Candidate for House of Representatives, Ndokwa/ Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, Chief Festus Ochonogor, Commissioner for Housing, Hon Kingsley Ashibogwu, Commissiner for Higher Educations, Chief Godday Obi Nzete, Executive Chairman, Ndokwa West, Hon Funkeke Solomon, Senior political Adviser to Governor, Barr Eugene D.G Orientation, PDP House of Assembly Candidate for Ndokwa East, Prince Emeka Osamota, PDP State House of Assembly, Hon Chris Osakwe, Executive Assistant, political, Hon Juan Governor, Executive Chairman, Ndokwa East LGA, Hon Ossai Azaka, Desopadec commissioner, Hon Chief Patrick Ogelenya, Hon Flenjor Oputa, Comrade Anslem Nzete and others.

By Lucy Ezeliora

Team Sheriff /Onyeme has commenced the distribution of relief materials to internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the floods that has ravaged 19 LGAs in the state.

Speaking during the visit, Sir. Monday Onyeme disclosed that the government has opened up distribution centres at various locations to receive the relief materials from Team Sheriff /Onyeme and other individuals who wish to support the displaced persons.

“According to him, all the eight LGA’s in Delta South, six LGAs in Delta North, and five LGAs in Delta Central Senatorial Districts have been taken over by flood.

While commiserating with victims of the flood disaster and affected communities, Onyeme urged them to move to safer places while waiting for intervention from government and other individuals.

Onyeme urged the displaced persons to remain calm stating that in a very short time by God’s grace the situation will be over and everyone will return to their various homes.

While commending the State Emergency Management Agency for their interventions Onyeme pleaded for more humanitarian assistance from private Organisation community for relief materials to the victims to cushion the effects of the flood on various communities.

Items donated include bags of Rice, Yam, Cow, Beans, Onions, palm Oil, indomie and other utensils

He commended Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for his intervention to cushion the adverse effects of the flood on the people by setting up various IDP Camps across the various affected LGAs in the State.

One of the flood victim, Mrs Chidinma Ifeoma, Chukwuora who spoke on behalf of the IDPs thanked team Sheriff Onyeme group for coming to their aid by providing the food items to the camp. They pleaded with the Team to visit them again as soon possible.

The IDP Camps visited are Oneh Primary School Asaba, Ogbeafor Primary School Asaba, Ewulu Primary School in Aniocha South Local Government Area and Utagogbe Technical College, kwale in Ndokwa West, LGA respectively.

Among the dignities present includes the Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly Hon. OchorOchor Christopher, Director of Protocol, Government House, Hon. Ifeanyi Egboigbe, PDP Candidate for House of Representatives, Ndokwa Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Chairman, Oshimili South Local Government Area, Hon. Kelvin Obi Ezenyili, Commissioner for Humanitarian and Community Support Services, Dr. Darlington ijeh, Commissioner for Youth, Ifeanyi Egwuwenyenga, PDP House of Assembly Candidate for Ndokwa East, Prince Emeka Osamota, Delta State House of Assembly candidate for Oshimili South. Hon. Bridgeth Ayafulu and others.

As the country nears another electioneering cycle in 2023, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, have advised Nigerians to rise up to ensure that only candidates who are committed to holistically implementing policies and programs aimed towards eradication of poverty are elected across board.

The deputy national co-ordinator of the Aisha Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Presidential Campaign Team, Lauretta Onochie has expressed optimism about the organization’s capability of delivering on its mandate to ensure victory for the ruling APC at the 2023 presidential election.

The Delta born frontline politician, who also will co-ordinate the Delta State chapter of the group, averred that her confidence in the organization’s prospects of electoral success, arose from its membership which comprise high calibre personalities, who parade sterling accomplishments in diverse spheres of endeavor.

She further observed that,. “There is no gain-saying that an organization with Aisha Buhari at the helm, alongside Senator Oluremi Tinubu and a collection of distinctive achievers, will harvest success at the polls”.

Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN), yesterday, raised concern over the increasing Tropical Parasitic Diseases and the heavy burden it had placed on the region over the years, but with”no Political Will by African leaders to nip the crippling and killing parasites in the bud”.

Vice-Chancellor, Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga, raised the concern in a keynote address at the 46th Annual conference, holding in Delta State Abraka, Ethiope East council of Delta State, lamenting that the consequences of parasitic infections are very devastating in terms of human sickness and deaths, as well as agriculture and animal grazing, and so, governments must rise up to the challenge.

According to Egwunyenga, who delivered the keynote address with the theme of the 46th annual conference, “POLITICAL WILL TOWARDS DISEASE CONTROL-THE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE”, stressed that tropical parasites shorten lives, reduce the ability to work or attend school and impose a lifelong burden on Africa’s potential for development.

The Professor of parasitology and public health consultant who brazenly bemoaned the burden of the tropical diseases in Africa though with far fewer resources, stated that diseases cause mass poverty, high fertility rate, slow economic growth, deforestation, rapid urbanization and increased migration, wars and natural disasters across the African continent.

These, according to him, were contributing to increased transmission and distribution of diseases, hence there must be urgent needs in building the political will for effective disease control, to bridging the gap in health financing, priority setting and on how best to improve prevention, monitoring and control of diseases rather than relying more on foreign aid such as World Bank which, only this year, allocated $100 million to help enhance and support African countries in preparing for, detecting, and responding to disease outbreaks and public emergencies.

He said diseases cost the African Region $2.4 trillion a year and nearly 639 million years of healthy life were lost in 2015 while In sub-Saharan Africa, an epidemiological transition in the last 20 years has seen the rise of non-communicable disease as the leading cause of death in many countries.

“The health challenge has been well recognised by African governments resulting in the Abuja Declaration in 2001 and other follow-ups but responses have been mixed with most countries unable to meet the funding target of 15 percent, including Nigeria, with average budget of about 4.7 percent since the past 20 years while the highest is Swaziland with 17 percent, he regretted.

Speaking further, Prof. Egwunyenga viewed Africa’s Disease Burden With a population of 1.34 billion, to represents 16 percent of the world’s population of 7.9 billion which of course, carries 25 percent of the world’s disease burden.

He revealed that Extreme poverty continues to drive increased burden of disease in Africa because of 736 million people who lived on less than $1.90 a day, more than 413 million of them were from sub-Saharan Africa; adding: “Africa share of global health expenditure is less than 1 percent leaving more than half of its population without access to essential health services”.

He expressed worry that deaths from non-communicable diseases,
NCDS, are likely to increase by 17 percent globally over the next 10 years, and African Region will experience a whopping 27 percent increase, which is twenty-eight million additional deaths from conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases (Naik and Kaneda, saying they are projected to exceed the combined deaths due to communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutrition-related diseases.

Prof. Egwunyenga, however, regretted that Nigeria government, compared to other African countries, has failed woefully, in ensuring that 15 percent of its annual budgetary allocation goes towards health, after all.

The parasitologist hinted that political will to sustainably fund health and disease control was weak, noting with emphasis that Politics and Health Financing in Nigeria
Commitment to adequately fund health and disease control programmes in Nigeria is hampered by the inability of government and politicians, particularly the National Assembly to set the right priorities.

“Aside from other unstated allowances, Nigerian Federal Lawmakers in 2020 allocated to themselves, a total of N268 billion and N463.76 billion to Health. An analysis of the budget shows that more than half of all Nigeria planned to spend on health in 2020 (N463.7 billion) went to the National Assembly. This meant that for every N2 spent on Nigerian’s health care, N1 went to the National Assembly. In pitiably same year Nigeria spent N500 billion on medical tourisms”, he revealed.

In his address, Prof. Sammy O Sam-Wobo, President, Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN), said it was worthy to note that they were in a near-constant state of improvement and regeneration of existing policies and scientific procedures, and PPSN has the gift of remaining contemporary to her members and their aspirations, as well as the society at large, in advancing the culture of scientific progression to measure up with global curve of rapid scientific novelties in research, prevention and control of parasitic diseases.

He said this year’s conference theme “Political Will Towards Disease Control – The African Experience”, was well chosen considering the present realities in most African countries where parasitic diseases especially Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) still hold sway and the Government going nothing to salvage the situation.

While summarizing key achievements of PPSN to include building the capacity and development of a critical mass of doctoral level scholarships for the continent, practical engagement in intellectual discourse, knowledge production, policy definition and intervention against diseases and their agents, Prof. Sam-Wobo thanked members of PPSN Council, BoT, College of Fellows, Zonal and Chapter coordinators, all members of PPSN and Local Organizing Committee for their enthusiastic commitment to ensure the success of the outstanding conference.

A special logo, designed by a member as the official logo for PPSN@50, was unveiled which kick-started awareness activities towards celebrating the Society in 2023.

The Delta State Government has said that it regretted embarrassments that the delay on the NYSC National Orientation Camp Road Project work at Issele-Uku have caused the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and the people of Aniocha North Local Government Area, particularly the people of Issele-Uku, and Onicha-Uku.

The State commissioner for works (Urban and Highways) Mr. Noel Omodon made the State Government position known in an exclusive interview with three online Newspapers, cshowcasenews.com, Banneronlinenews.com and newsviewng.com, in his office in Asaba, Delta State capital.

Omodon said that the delay was partly due to the need to correct a technical defect on the road noticed by the contractor when he initially commenced work on the road, pointing out that he drew the attention of the State Government to it and there was the need to review the contract to accommodate the correction.

He revealed that the correction entails channeling the flood water at the lowest part of the road through Captain Nwosu Street down to a channel by Issele-Uku/Idumuje-Unor road. He also stated that the contracting firm, Neodede Construction Company, was to be partly blamed for not trusting the State Government’s commitment towards taking care of all his fears in the review.

“We want to really appreciate the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu. He is a very strong and supportive person. He has been very supportive. He is not the kind of person that sits down and waits until a miracle happens. He will always reach out. All the work he has been doing in that area, we are quite appreciative and we want to assure him that we will not let our garbs down.

“Rt. Hon. Elumelu has been very assertive about getting the problem sorted out and he has done a lot, very frankly, but we just feel that we are letting him down because the contracting firm was not following up with his pace. But I hope we are not causing him too much embarrassment.

“We shall definitely catch up with him. We regret the embarrassments it must have caused him, but it is very unfair for the people not to realize that he is doing a lot for them.”

He condemned in strong terms what happened at Idumu-Ogo and said that it is sad and unfair for those people to fail to appreciate all the good works the Minority Leader has been doing.

Omodon further revealed that the contractor has gone back to site on Wednesday last week and that construction of drains along Captain Nwosu Street has commenced in earnest.

The commissioner stated that all that is needed for the road project is being provided for the contractor, adding that sharp sand was approved for sand filling instead of laterite because of the rain. He however, said that the contractor is confident now and that the work is being done according to specifications.

“We are going to try very hard to ensure that we deliver all the roads including the palliative work the State Government is doing at the Onicha-Ugbo/ Idumuje-Ugboko Road. It is a Federal Government road, but we are working on it.

He said in order to tackle the challenge of vehicle movement on the road as work progresses on the NYSC National Orientation Camp Road, moves are being made to activate and open up the ongoing Onicha-Ugbo /Idumuje-Ugboko Road with a view to allowing traffic from Idumuje-Ugboko down to the Benin/Asaba Express Road and there through Onicha-Ugbo down to Idumuje-Ugboko.

“Our problem is that they are shifting all the traffic to Issele-Uku and that is not fair. Our roads there are not meant for such heavy traffic where heavy duty vehicles ply the road often. We are discussing with our contractors handling the Onicha-Ugbo-Idumuje-Ugboko Road palliative work for them to bring in boulders and granites for us to seal off the bad portion along the ongoing project and allow movement of vehicles.

“It is going to cost us much, but we are committed to doing it! Thank God we have gotten a partner, a company that is in the quarry business, their business is being affected and they have agreed to supply the granites. So in no distant time , we are going to bring back all traffic back to Onicha-Ugbo from there, they hit the express and not our roads.

“We are very sympathetic with the pains the people of Aniocha North, particularly the people of Issele-Uku and Onicha-Uku, have to go through as a result of the road.

“Everybody is embarrassed about it and I hope to get all the heavy duty vehicles out of Issele-Uku in the shortest possible time”, he said.

The commissioner assured that moves are on the way to present a memo to the State Executive Council on the need to rehabilitate some of the damaged roads, occasioned by the influx of heavy duty vehicles passing through the Issele-Uku metropolis to access the Benin/Asaba/Onitcha Expressway, particularly, the Ogbeofu Road.