Connect with us

News

INC, IYC, Ann Kio-Briggs Applaud Ndiomu For Creating Cooperatives To Empower Ex-agitators

Published

on

The Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and prominent activist, Ann Kio-Briggs have applauded the various economic schemes introduced by Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), to empower ex-agitators.

The President of the INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said in an interview that the idea of floating a Cooperative Society would enable ex-agitators have easy access to funds to establish Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He said such SMEs would aid the economic growth and development of the Niger Delta and the country.

Advertisement

Okaba, who was speaking while making an assessment of Ndiomu’s six-month stewardship as the Interim Administrator of PAP, said the ex-agitators had been given an opportunity to become more useful to themselves and their families.

READ ALSO: Allegations Of Fraud Against Ndiomu Baseless, Infantile, Group Replies Ex-agitators

He said the cooperative scheme and other economic blueprints of Ndiomu would turn ex-agitators to entrepreneurs, who would no longer depend on the monthly N65,000 stipends.

Okaba said: “Ndiomu’s various empowerment scheme is targeted at making the ex-agitators self-reliant. The present boss has also started the process of assessing employment opportunities for ex-militants, who have gotten training from both local and international sources.

Advertisement

“I learned some of them have been pushed into security services, some into the oil companies, and some are even encouraged to form cooperatives with funding so that they can start up their own businesses.

“The Amnesty Programme is taking a new shape. There are serious consultations. He goes down to the stakeholders in their villages and communities, meeting their demands and addresses them as swiftly as possible”.

READ ALSO: Amnesty Programme Remains Critical To Mitigating Conflicts In The Niger Delta Region – Ndiomu

The National Spokesman of the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, attributed the sustained peace in the Niger Delta to the efforts of Ndiomu in addressing the concerns and needs of ex-agitators.

Advertisement

Describing Ndiomu as a man of discipline and courage, Ekerefe also commended him for his consistent interface with stakeholders in the region.

He said: “Maj.-Gen. Ndiomu has also contributed to the sustained peace that we are currently enjoying in the region. Because Ndiomu is a man of discipline, character and courage.

“So we commend Ndiomu for his consistent interface with stakeholders of the region, which is very key because the program itself is a product of stakeholders’ decisions.

“The president saw capacity and courage in Ndiomu which was what informed the president to appoint him in that capacity. Of course, that has also contributed to his being appointed as chairman of the special panel on crude oil theft.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Amnesty Programme Remains Critical To Mitigating Conflicts In The Niger Delta Region – Ndiomu

He is a man who is committed to making sure that the Amnesty Programme is positioned in achieving the aims and objectives of why it was set up”.

The Ijaw Rights Activist, Ann Kio-Briggs, said Ndiomu’s periodic consultation and engagement with critical stakeholders and regular payments of stipends to ex-agitators had brought a new lease of life to the PAP.

She said: “The areas that Gen. Ndiomu has focused on including prompt and timely payment of stipends and fees of PAP’s scholarship beneficiaries is quite commendable. Within the short period he has been in office, I can say he has tried his best to reposition the programme.

Advertisement

“However, there are still areas that needs to be done, including more training programmes for our youths. It is on this note I call on the Federal Government to activate the various training centres, especially the one in Rivers State”.

News

2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

Published

on

By

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Underbridge Tenants: Lagos Govt Uncovers Identity Of Ring Leader

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

Advertisement

“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

Advertisement

“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

Continue Reading

News

INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

Published

on

By

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

Advertisement

He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

Advertisement

The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

READ ALSO: Ijaw Group Tackles OPC, CSO Over Call For Review Of Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract

Advertisement

“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Ijaw Demand Environmental Clean-up Before IOCs Exit Niger Delta

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

Advertisement

He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

Continue Reading

News

Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

Published

on

By

US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

Advertisement

Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version