The Member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives Hon Ngozi Okolie has called on the federal government to execute more projects in the Niger Delta because of the region’s contributions to the nation’s economy.

Hon Okolie made the call while Speaking with journalists in Asaba,the Delta State capital.

The federal lawmaker said a state of emergency should be declared on federal roads before embarking on coastal road project affirming that a lot of lives and valuables have been lost due to bad roads while others have become den of robbers and kidnappers.

He described the relationship between the three tiers of government as robust and called on Nigerians to be patient with the policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu.

He assured the people of Aniocha/ Oshimili of more federal presence now that the 2024 budget has become operational.

Hon Okolie said repair work has commenced on the Benin/Asaba expressway stressing that the contractor handling the Ebu/Ubiaja road project will soon be on site.

The Federal lawmaker said he was ensuring that all contracts awarded and paid for and not done before he was elected were executed in line with contractual agreements.

While saying that repair works in schools and solar street light in communities in Aniocha /Oshimili will kick off in earnest, he gave assurance that apart from pursuing bills and motions to fast track all round development in his constituency,issues of youth and women empowerment will be vigorously entrenched.

Hon Okolie congratulated Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on his one year in office describing his performance as phenomenon.

He said Governor Oborevwori has been able to carry members of other political parties along in addition to giving equal development to all parts of the state.

On the state of the Labour Party at the federal and state levels,the federal lawmaker said the party was intact and was ready to entrench positive change in the country.

He said Labour party was ready for the forthcoming Local Government elections in Delta and called on the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission DSIEC to give all a level playing field by upholding transparency,accountability and fairness.

He lauded anyone who has attracted projects to the constituency for their efforts promising to put the interest of the people of Aniocha/Oshimili above personal interest.

To those aiding and abetting crime and criminality in the constituency, he advised them to desist or be ready to contend with the law as peace was a springboard for development.

Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, has lauded the Society for Family Health (SFH) on its Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) project aimed to expand access to contraceptives by women in the state.

The commissioner gave the commendation on at a one-day programme organised by the state Ministry of Health and Primary Health Care Management Board.

The programme, tagged, “DISC 1.0 State Level Project Dissemination”, was held in collaboration with SFH in Asaba.

The commissioner said the meeting was necessary to reflect on the accomplishments of the project, discuss its impact and chart a course for the future.

According to the commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Philomena Okeowo, the DISC project is funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).

“We gather today to reflect on the impactful journey of the DISC project, a transformative initiative spearheaded by the Society for Family Health.

“Society for Family Health has been a long-standing partner to the state, having significantly contributed to the health indices of Delta.

“Over the past two years, the DISC project has been a beacon of hope and progress in Delta, championing the utilization of Sayana Press subcutaneous contraception to empower individuals and communities towards better reproductive health outcomes,” Onojaeme said.

He noted that the project had touched lives and left an enduring legacy of collaboration and commitment that had defined a journey.

“Through innovative approaches and dedicated efforts, the DISC project has expanded access to contraception and also empowered women and families to make informed choices about their reproductive health, thereby, fostering a brighter, healthier future for our communities.

“While we reflect on the successes of the DISC project, let us also acknowledge the challenges encountered and the lessons learned along the way.

“Our collective experiences, insights, and feedback will serve as invaluable resources as we continue to navigate the complexities of reproductive health programming and strive to address the evolving needs of our population.

“Moving forward, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to structures built by the state, which were supported wholeheartedly by the DISC project, leveraging its successes and insights to inform future interventions and initiatives.

“Together, let us rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equitable access to reproductive health services, with particular emphasis on self-care, ensuring that every individual can exercise their reproductive rights and live healthy, fulfilling lives,” said the commissioner.

In her welcome remarks, Okeowo, represented by Dr Chris Iwegbu, a director in the ministry, said the event was another milestone in the fight to empower women of reproductive age to make the right decisions.

“It is a fight to ensure every woman of reproductive age in Delta, especially in the sub-served communities has a right to contraception and a healthy reproductive life.

“Our collaboration with the Society for Family Health on the DISC project has been instrumental in advancing Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare services in our state.

“The DISC project, funded by CIFF, has been a beacon of innovation and dedication over the past five years, empowering women to take control of their Sexual and Reproductive Health needs through self-care, particularly focusing on DMPA-SC self-injection.

” The achievements we’ve made together, from service delivery to data quality assessment, are a testament to our shared commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for our communities,” Okeowo said.

Dr Faith Ireye, World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinator in Delta, called on the state government and other stakeholders to address the increasing cases of adolescent pregnancy among the girl-child to reduce the trend.

Ireye says pregnancy in adolescents, especially within the 14 and 19 age bracket in Delta, is worrisome.

According to her, adolescent pregnancy has to be taken care of because currently, four per cent of pregnancies in the state occur among adolescents.

She said it was high time the government took a firm decision in the area by way of educating the girl-child to reduce adolescent pregnancy to the barest minimum.

“If they have information, and are well guarded with the information at their disposal, it will be possible to crash teenage pregnancy below four per cent,” she said.

Also, the Deputy Team Lead, DISC Project, SFH, Mopelola Raji, said the project was aimed at changing the way self-care contraception was perceived.

According to her, the DISC project is a four-year project funded by CIFF and implemented by Population Services International and SFH.

“So, we have what we call DMPA-SC Self-Injection, our unique product; it helps the woman to amplify her voice and also promotes autonomy for the woman to be able to decide what works for her.

“So, we have an innovation called the ‘Empathy Based Training’ where we train the providers to have the competence and increased capacity to coach women to successfully self-inject themselves,” she said.

According to her, Delta is one of the 12 states the SFH has impacted.

She said the state had provided the enabling environment for the project to deliver another option for the women from the arrays of family planning options.

“When we came to Delta it was about a nine per cent adoption rate but as of today, the self-injection rate is now about 80 per cent.

“We started the project in Delta in July 2022 and now, we have done 21 months today, so, we are disseminating from the state, but intervention continues,” she said.

Also, Dr Frances Weyinmi, Delta Reproductive Health Coordinator, said that with support from SFH, the state achieved a great feat by emerging first among the states in convention rate.

She said that more women had accepted the option of contraceptives in the state compared to the nine per cent rate of acceptance four years ago.

According to Weyinmi, the achievement was due to teamwork as the training was cascaded in over 460 facilities in the state to cover every service provider across the board.

*OBIARUKU/Nigeria* :

Amidst the political horse trading in Ukwuani LGA, ahead of the forthcoming Delta State Local Government elections, the Equity Forum, a coalition spanning the two major political blocks in the LGA, has elected Barr. Richard Okolocha as it’s preferred chairmanship candidate to contest the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primary election.

The Mock Primary election to determine the potential Chairmanship candidate was conducted after a rigorous selection process, which saw the legal luminary, Barrister Richard Okolocha emerging victorious with 11 votes and securing his candidacy for the group’s Chairmanship position.

Indeed, as the 2024 Local Government Area Elections loom in Delta State, political maneuvering have reached new heights with strategic maneuvers and power plays dominating the landscape and the battleground is primarily between the two main political blocks: the Akashiede Block and the Egbeoma Block, each vying for supremacy in the council area.

Competing against formidable opponents, including Mr. Chidi Oji with 7 votes, Mr. Basil Ishiekwene, 1 vote and Mr. Reuben Chinsunum 1 vote, Barrister Okolocha scored 11 votes to clinch the top position after the transparent and well supervised poll.

The election was conducted after the withdrawal of some aspirants which included Mr. Eze Edike, Mr. Humphrey Uzuakpundu, and Mr. Festus Okudibie.

The selection of Barr. Okolocha by the Equity Forum which represents the Egbeoma Political Block, is in anticipation of the heated contest not only within the local government but also among the political parties, especially at a time when the stage is already set for a robust contestation in Ukwuani Local Government Area.

In an official statement signed by the Chairman of the Equity Forum, Chief Eric Obodouku Anigala, and the Secretary, Pastor Osemeke Chukwuemeke, the group expressed gratitude to party leaders, delegates and supporters for their unwavering commitment.

The call to action by the Equity Forum was clear: Rally behind Barrister Richard Okolocha and ensure victory for the Egbeoma Political Block, in the forthcoming party primary scheduled for Friday, May 24, 2024.

Meanwhile, Barrister Richard Okolocha has extended his appreciation to party delegates and leaders for their faith in his candidacy, even as he pledging not to betray their trust and emphasized the importance of unity within the Egbeoma political bloc.

In a gesture of inclusivity, Okolocha called on fellow aspirants to set aside differences and work towards a common goal, stressing the paramount importance of serving the interests and well-being of the Ukwuani populace.

Dr. Barrister Richard Okolocha’s emergence as the Chairmanship candidate, signals a new chapter in Ukwuani’s political landscape and promises an election that will be fiercely contested, with high stakes for both contenders and constituents alike.

The Niger Delta Stakeholders Forum (NDSF) has hailed the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for snubbing the moves to recruit her into the sinister plot to unseat the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari.

NDSF fingered the Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPCL, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, as the brain-behind the moves to unseat her boss.

NDSF said Eyesan had mustered contacts to recruit the Wife of the President into the unpatriotic agenda.

Stating that its findings revealed that the First Lady declined to give support to the nefarious mission, the group said the plan was to get the First Lady on board to persuade her husband to sack the NNPCL’s GCEO.

The emissaries to the First Lady were mandated to persuade her on the need to convince the President to appoint Eyesan to replace Kyari in the prevailing circumstances.

The NDSF, in a statement signed by its Leader, Chief Julius Daukoru, on Tuesday, said Eyesan appointed known Itsekiri allies of the First Lady, especially those resident in Lagos into the lobby group in the plot perfected to ensure her emergence as the new GCEO of the oil conglomerate.

The Niger Delta group, however, praised the First Lady for demonstrating an uncommon patriotic zeal by declining to be “used to execute the sinister agenda.”

“The reports available to us (NDSF) revealed that the EVP, Upstream, NNPCL (Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan) mobilised notable heavy-weights, especially the Itsekiri kinsmen of the First Lady in Lagos to meet with the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to persuade her husband, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to fire the GCEO of NNPCL, Engineer Mele Kyari and get Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan appointed as his successor.”

“We learnt that the promoters of Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan painted a fascinating picture of the advantages inherent in the appointment of her Itsekiri sister into the highly prestigious office, to the First Lady, especially the benefits and opportunities accruable and beneficial to her Itsekiri brothers and sisters in Itsekiri homeland in Delta State.”

“The First Lady reportedly listened to the emissaries, led by a prominent Itsekiri chief with rapt attention before she angrily turned down their request. We learnt that she also tongue-lashed and lampooned the delegation. We gathered that the First Lady told them that her husband enjoyed a pan-Nigeria mandate following her election by majority of Nigerians accross ethnic divides.”

“Our reliable sources hinted NDSF that the First Lady said having secured the mandate of all Nigerians, that it would be inappropriate for her husband to turn around to play ethnic cards by supporting the narrow interests being canvassed by some parochial interests groups.”

“The First Lady was quoted to have told them that Nigeria at the present stage of its development cannot survive if appointments into strategic position of authorities are not made on merit. She refused to be part of the ethnic agenda of her Itsekiri kinsmen.”

” She said her husband would continue to retain Mele Kyari on the job since he’s doing very well. She warned the delegation not to come to her office to propagate such such unpatriotic agenda in the future.*

“The emissaries left her office, dejected and traumatised.”

Meanwhile, NDSF has accused failed pipelines surveillance contractors as sponsors of the moves to replace Kyari with Eyesan.

NDSF in the statement further said contractors, who lost out in the recent award and renewal of pipelines surveillance contracts, especially the Pipelines Infrastructures Nigeria Limited (IPNL), operated by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, are behind the plot to remove the NNPCL’s GCEO.

Daukoru, in the statement, said, “The surveillance contract for the Trans-forcados pipelines hitherto handled by the Olu of Warri’s company was terminated lately by the Kyari-led management.”

“Frantic and desperate efforts by Eyesan to ensure that his Itsekiri monarch retained the job was rebuffed by the management of NNPCL.”

“This has attracted protests by the the Olu and some of his sympathising gullible subjects, who could not differentiate private) business pursuit by their monarch from issues of general interests affecting the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.”

“To the extent one group hurriedly assembled by the Olu of Warri, Itsekiri Pipelines Surveillance Stakeholders was quoted at a recent media briefing in Warri, as demanding explanation from the NNPCL board for the termination of the Trans-forcados pipelines surveillance contracts.”

“Those who want Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as GCEO of NNPCL want the job for her primarily to protect the Olu and other parochial interests in NNPCL.”

To this end, Daukoru urged Kyari to remain steadfast and undaunted in the midst of the protests by the aggrieved failed pipeline surveillance contractors.

He urged Kyari not to succumb to blackmail and intimidation by the angry contractors, saying the “antics of the failed contractors against Mele Kyari will fail like packs of cards because Mr. President is conscious of the fact that the NNPCL under the management of Engineer Mele Kyari, is delivering on its mandate.”

Prince Ben Obi-Okolie,  publisher of Anioma Newspaper, has congratulated a renowned Delta born philanthropist, humanist and politician, Engr. Fidel Onwodi on his new Year age.

The publisher made the congratulatory message in a statement he issued to newsmen this morning in Asaba

According to Prince Ben-Obi Okolie, “Happy birthday to  Engr. Fidel Onwodi.

“Sir, May your special day be filled with blessings, prayers, and abundant joy.

“Your dedication to humanitarian efforts in Delta State and beyond truly makes the world a better place.

“Here’s to celebrating you and your remarkable contributions to humanity.
Cheers to many more years of making a positive impact!”