News

Hardship: Rights Group Canvasses For Subsidized Mass Transport Scheme In Delta

Published

11 months ago

October 8, 2024

A human rights group, the Organisations for Human and Peoples Rights Protection and Humanitarian (OHPRPH), has called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration in Delta State to provide a subsidized mass transport scheme for the people of the state to cushion the economic hardship.

This was contained in a statement signed by the national president of the organisation, Comrade Ezekiel Kagbala, an investigative journalist and publisher of FocalPoint Reports.

In the statement made available to newsmen in Warri on Tuesday, the organization appealed to Governor Obovrevwori to “initiate a 50% fare subsidy to enable Deltans to move around at ease despite the current economic hardship being experienced in the country”.

The organization suggested that “if possible, the state government should acquire buses for mass transit and also establish partnerships with private transporters as done in the era of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in Delta, who acquired over 130 Mass-Transit Buses, thus ensuring that Deltans moved around in comfortable vehicles at affordable cost.”

The organization also advised the State Governor to establish a committee to explore the possibilities of acquiring electric vehicles for mass transit since fuel subsidy removal had grossly escalated fuel costs, thus leading to increased transportation expenses for workers.

The statement partly reads, “Currently, Deltans are experiencing high cost of transportation, though the primary cause was the fuel subsidy removal and the noninvestment of the state government into the transport sector to ease commuting and small-scale business.

“The other factor is that the state government has no regulatory measures in place to check excessive increment of transportation costs and activities of ‘agberos’ who encourage transporters to increase transport fares at impulse.

“Governor Sheriff Obovrevwori should know better that Deltans are experiencing multi-dimensional hardship, the worst of its kind. Delta State would not have felt it this hard if the state government had initiated micro projects geared towards addressing basic needs of Deltans.

“There is no doubt that the state governor had good intentions for, prioritizing mega projects such as bridges and road construction, building universities in the state.

“Governor Sheriff Obovrevwori should, as a matter of urgency, direct the Ministry of Housing, Economic Planning, Transport, and Agriculture to embark on micro community-based projects to regulate and provide affordable housing schemes that will decongest the cities and ensure that residents have some space for farming.

“Economic planners should get out of their offices and get usable data that will enable the state government to plan economically viable micro-scale projects.

“Ministry of Transport should provide and regulate affordable, decent transport means and flush out the garage touts who unleash terror on private transports over refusal to dance to their tune.

“The Ministry of Agriculture has no business enjoying air conditioned offices; they should get into the field and even ensure that every civil servant is encouraged to have his or her farm. They should deploy agricultural extension workers to tour farms and provide instant support to boost cropping and life-stocking activities.

“As we speak, most cities in Delta State are battling with this high cost of living, mostly transportation and high cost of housing. Ughelli Agbor, Abraka, Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku Ozoro, Warri, Sapele, and a whole lot of other developing towns are suffering from this menace.

“Delta State government will be indecently encouraging street boys economy by indiscriminately empowering them with appointments as SSA and SA’s and thereby allowing civil servants and petty traders to wallow in penury and agony of excruciating hardship.

“The state government will be performing poorly by doing nothing about the high costs of house rent with its extortionist charges notably caution fees, Agent fees, landlord drink, etc.

“There is absolutely nothing productive about the cities that made it so expensive. The few small scale factories are barely surviving while the noticeable most vibrant business currently done by young people is 70% Yahoo/ hookup just at a time that the rate of kidnapping and armed rubbery are also advancing from bad to worst.

“All the above highlighted challenges are pointers to Government to intervene strongly, without any further delay, for posterity as a stitch in time saves nine”.

News

Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

2 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

News

Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

2 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

“The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.

News

JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

Published

4 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.