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Edo SEEFOR Constructs 67.357km Access Roads, Empowers 8,424 Youths In North, Central

Published

4 years ago

July 3, 2020

Editor

Edo State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) has unveiled 67.357 km access roads constructed and over 8,424 youths empowered in the state North and Central senatorial districts.

SEEFOR is a World Bank, European Union, and State Government funded project with the objective to enhancing opportunities for employment and access to socio-economic services.

Access road and transformer installed by Edo SEEFOR at Igarra, Akoko-Edo, Edo North Senatorial district

Mr. Toju Onaiwu, Edo SEEFOR Project Co-ordinator, in a media tour to the project sites, disclosed that SEEFOR has so empowered 32 graduates in the Central Senatorial district and 41 graduates in North Senatorial district.

Onaiwu said that, 53 micro-projects such as renovation of Town Hall, open market, primary healthcare centre, electrification, ICT centre were completed in Edo North, while 19 micro-projects similar as that of Edo north were executed in Edo Central.

Soundproof 1.5kva generator provided by SEEFOR to Government Science and Technical College, Irrua, Edo Central

He added that Edo SEEFOR, in collaboration with World Bank and European Union also renovated and procured equipment for Government Science and Technical College, Igarra, Edo North, and also did same in Government Science and Technical School, Irrua.

Fish pound provided by Edo SEEFOR at Edo Central.

Speaking, Ajadawe Abraham, Vice Principal, Admin, Government Science and Techinal College, Irrua, said buildings in his school were in dilapidated state before SEEFOR intervened and helped renovated the buildings and fenced the school which according to him was a major road to motorists and pedestrians.

Government Science and Technical College, Irrua equipped with computers by SEEFOR

He added that, SEEFOR did not just renovate the buildings, but also went ahead to equip different workshops in the techinal college, and also provided soundproof Mikano generator for effective practicals in the school.

“When I was transferred to this school, I met only two old buildings that were in dilapidated state. The roofs were licking, and the windows and doors broken. We were there managing them when we one day heard that there was going to be intervention to the school by SEEFOR.

Another access road constructed by Edo SEEFOR at Igarra, Edo north

“They came to our aid by renovating the whole buildings, and also bought equipment for us both in the electrical and business workshops. If you enter our workshops, they are well-equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment. In fact, you would be tempted to believe it is a university workshop”, the VP said.

While admitting that SEEFOR has intervened in the school through the renovation and provision of equipment in three different times, Ejadawe appealed to SEEFOR to do more for the school to attain an enviable state.

Skill Aqcuisition Centre, Igarra funded by Edo SEEFOR

On her part, Unice Obajaja, head of skill aqcuisition centre, Igarra, Akoko Edo local government area of the state, disclosed that on before SEEFOR’s intervention, the centre had nothing to work on, and was practically empty.

She said after request for intervention, Edo SEEFOR came in and provided all the necessary equipment for the place to be functional, adding that this has helped the centre to train a large number of youths who could have ordinarily be roaming the street.

Another access road constructed by Edo SEEFOR at Edo Central

“Before SEEFOR intervention, we were totally grounded, nothing was happening here. There were no equipment until SEEFOR intervened. When SEEFOR intervened, they did a lot of things for us. We now have borehole here, we have light, we have equipment as you can see in the class. We have computers, we have equipment in the hairdressing and cosmetology room. We have equipment in the tiling department.

“Since 2018 till date that SEEFOR intervened, we have graduated a total of 503 students from this centre. And about 120 have been empowered so far, and we still have 120 students on ground learning now as I speak to you” Obajaja said.

Shops built by Edo SEEFOR at Uromi, Edo Central

Obajaja, however, said the centre needs more of skill aqcuisition departments and equipment from SEEFOR.

Also responding, Sunny Imoudu, head, Afemai Corporative, who is into poultry, said he graduated but had no job until SEEFOR came to the rescue with the provision of funds which he used in procuring over 300 birds in the first batch before he proceeded on other batch.

Part of Edo SEEFOR empowerment to graduates who are into poultry

Imoudu added that over ten graduates have been empowered and benefited from the poultry.

He said, “This programme has helped a lot of graduates who would have been ordinarily roaming the street. It has helped at least ten of us in the Corporative. When we first stocked the poultry, we had up to 300 birds. Now, this is the second stock wherein we have up to 320 birds in total. SEEFOR has been fulfiling its mandate of engaging graduates.”

Town Hall constructed by SEEFOR at Igueben, Edo Central

Related Topics:#European Union #World Bank Edo SEEFOR

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Shell Set To Build Gas Pipelines In Oyo

Published

19 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

Shell Nigeria Gas and the Oyo State Government have signed an agreement to develop a gas supply and distribution infrastructure that will deliver gas to industrial and commercial users in the state.

A statement released on Friday by Shell Nigeria’s Media Relations Manager, Abimbola Essien-Nelson, disclosed that SNG will build and operate the gas distribution network which will serve customers across Oyo State for 20 years.

According to the statement, the project will start with the construction of gas distribution infrastructure along a 15km pipeline route, adding that it will grow to deliver up to 60 million standard cubic feet of gas per day across the state.

It was learnt that the first gas is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, described the project as a catalyst for development in the state.

Makinde said, “This project fits into our plan to drive innovation and industrialisation in Oyo State and we’re ready to partner with more companies and other organisations to enhance the delivery of relevant projects”.

Speaking, the Managing Director of SNG, Ralph Gbobo, noted that the agreement was “a significant milestone for SNG and Oyo State to boost economic activities in Nigeria by supplying industries and manufacturers with natural gas, a more reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly source of energy”.

He explained, “The gas distribution project will be a game-changer in the industrialisation drive of the Oyo State Government and help boost internally generated revenue and result in more job opportunities.

“For SNG, the project is a milestone in our effort to continue growing the energy supply to businesses in Nigeria in line with Nigeria’s ambition to drive progress on the back of natural gas availability across Nigeria under the Decade of Gas initiative”.

The Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and Chairman, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor remarked that the event pointed to the value of partnership as “Shell continues to power progress” in Nigeria through more and cleaner energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers.

“Building on our presence in the country since the 1960s and the wide marketing and trading reach of Shell Energy, we are excited about developing gas distribution solutions and delivering competitive and reliable energy for power generation and industrial use across Nigeria,” Okunbor added.

SNG was incorporated in 1998 as a fully Shell-owned company. Over the years, the company has become a supplier of gas and now serves over 150 clients in Abia, Bayelsa, Ogun and Rivers states.

The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government said it would stop granting licences to gas companies with no capacity to build pipelines for gas distribution.

This, the government said became necessary to discourage the transportation of compressed natural gas through the roads.

The Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made this disclosure when he was in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Wednesday.

While saying the country must transit from fossil fuel to CNG, Ekpo revealed that he had directed the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, not to issue licenses to anyone who could not pipe CNG to the end users.

News

15-year-Old Public School Student Scores 362 In UTME

Published

3 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

A student of a public secondary school, Government Secondary School, Omu Aran, Kwara State, Olukayode Victor Olusola, scored 362 marks in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, to be among the contenders for the highest scorers in the examination.

Though the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, organisers of the exam, had said the Board would not announce the highest scorer to avoid last year’s experience of confusing claims, Olukayode’s score is celebratory, as it is among the highest in recent years.

He scored 95 marks each in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and 77 in English Language.

His exploit is coming against the backdrop of the poor performance of candidates in the exam in which 1.4 million scored less than 200 marks out of 400. The exam was taken by over 1.8 million candidates

Also, Olukayode’s excellent performance is coming at a time when confidence is greatly eroding in what public schools have to offer and some private schools are boasting of being the most expensive in the country.

Olukayode was born in 2009 and hopes to study Electrical Electronic at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

His mother, Beatrice Tosin, while giving all the honour to God, also praised the studious and hard working nature of her child.

News

Group Mulls Legal Option To Stop IOCs’ Divestment From N’Delta

Published

3 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Editor

A human rights organization, ‘We The People,’ has said that it is considering legal options to hold international oil companies responsible for the massive environmental degradation from their operations in the Niger Delta for the past seven decades.

The organization said the move became necessary following the rush by the IOCs to abandon their onshore operations for deep offshore activities currently called divestment.

Executive Director of ‘We The People,’ Ken Henshaw, stated this during a Legal Roundtable on Oil Company Divestment, held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Henshaw said the roundtable was aimed at galvanizing experts on the environment, legal system, the media and civil society organizations to proffer legal options to hold the IOCs responsible for the years of environmental carnage in the Niger Delta before they are allowed to embark on what many have described as the criminal flight of oil multi-nationals.

According to The PUNCH, he noted that it would be difficult to hold the companies accountable for the pollution of the region caused by their operations once they leave the shores of the country, hence they needed to be tackled to take responsibility for their activities.

Henshaw stated, “Since 2020 to 2021, many international oil companies that have operated in the Niger Delta for nearly 70 years have all started selling off their assets, Agip is selling to Oando, Shell is selling to Renaissance Energy, ExxonMobil is selling to Seplat. They are selling off these assets and the players taking over these assets are indigenous companies.

“We think that this is a real problem in the sense that we are not sure of the chances or opportunities of holding these companies accountable when they leave.

“We all know that the extraction of crude oil and gas has created different levels of problems. Routinely, gas has been flared for almost 70 years, routinely oil spilled for almost 60 years and this has caused serious ecological damage and also damage to the health of the people. It has made their fishing and occupation not viable.

“So after 70 years, we are simply saying that there is a need for us to assess the extent of negative impacts created by oil extraction and place liability and responsibility where liability and responsibility should be placed.

“We are simply asking through this meeting, what are the legal options available to hold these companies accountable?”

Delivering the keynote address, a specialist in Petroleum and International Law and Policy at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ibiba Worika, urged the Federal Government to exercise restraint in ratifying the oil companies’ assets divestment.

Worika advised the government to ensure that companies address the historical pollution and other environmental concerns in the oil-rich region before being allowed to leave because the people will be at the receiving end.

He said, “For us here in the Niger Delta, the divestment of IOCs is something that basically we are likely going to be at the receiving end, our environment has been essentially despoiled over the years due to decades of oil and gas exploration and development and historical pollutions have never been addressed by the oil majors or the government, and unfortunately, our communities are left alone to deal with this.

“The question is, should these oil and gas majors be allowed to divest their assets and just walk away, without addressing the historical pollution and other environmental concerns?

“I don’t think that would be fair, I think that the Federal Government should exercise restraint on giving its approval so we can have a round table discussion where these concerns can truly be expressed and let’s see what it is that can be done to address these concerns.”

Worika added that should the government fail to do the needful soonest, civil society organizations in the Niger Delta would be left with no other option but to institute legal action against the Federal Government and the IOCs.

He insisted, “I have not heard of any instances where a local government area or a state government took it upon itself to sue an oil major for and on behalf of the communities. I have not seen that, but we still have them sharing the revenues from oil and gas exploration from all these communities.

“If this is not done then I fear that we may have to institute legal actions ahead of the divestment, restraining both the Federal Government and the oil companies concerned from divesting until these matters are looked into, much more approximately, and of course remediation, as well as compensation packages are arranged for the communities.”

On his part, a former Commissioner for Environment in Bayelsa State, Iniruo Wills, said the blame for unending environmental pollution in the region should be on political leaders, such as governors, ministers and senators from the region, who he accused of abetting the pollution of the environment.

Wills, who is an environmental advocate, alleged that the political leaders have allowed the trend to continue because of pecuniary benefits.

He said, “Some of us are surprised that no state government in the Niger Delta is doing anything serious about abating the pollution in the region. So this is an opportunity to call on the individuals, I don’t like fiction or ghosts, but individuals like you and I, who are holding the offices, have the authority needed to do something.

“Some of them are in Abuja, Abuja is too far, we are in the Niger Delta, who are people in the Niger Delta that we the people have put as our gatekeepers to defend us, to defend our territories, such as the governors? So the kind of pollution and other environmental hazards that we have been singing about for 50 to 70 years are continuing, not just because of the people in Abuja or the oil companies.

“It is because somebody or people who are governors, senators, or ministers of petroleum from the Niger Delta have refused to do anything about it.

“As of this moment that we are speaking, if pollution is continuing in Rivers State, it is because Governor Siminalayi Fubara does not consider it a priority. If it is continuing in Bayelsa State, it would be because Governor Duoyi Diri does not take it as a priority.

“The day that one governor in the Niger Delta considers that this thing is a danger to his people and he is going to deploy the full weight of his executive authority and resources to deal with it, this madness will come to an end.”