Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) in Nigeria, has urged president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to institute a probe into the financial management of the managing director of the Niger Delta development Commission (NDDC) and the entire board, alleging that NDDC had been turned to ATM machine for a few.

In a statement signed by the IPF spokesman, Comrade Ezekiel Kagbala, and made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State, the media body further called on prominent Niger Delta leaders to prevail on the Ogbuku-led NDDC management to give stewardship of the trillions accrued to the commission over the period of his administration.

The IPF argued that the probe becomes imperative considering the “non-impactful programmes the commission is rerunning to allegedly siphon money belonging to the people of Niger Delta to their individual pockets.”

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According to the media body, “Ogbuku is not interested in lifting Niger Delta region out of poverty, underdevelopment but interested in littering the region with abandoned projects and substandard programs.”

The forum alleged that despite the “trillions accrued to the NDDC for the period of Ogbuku-led administration,” there are no rural electricity, drinkable water, good roads, bridges to connect rural communities to the urban cities, and an adequate health care centre among among Niger Delta rural and riverine communities.

The forum also lamented that there was no any riverine community being connected to the national grid, rather, “Ogbuku keeps installing low cost street solar lights that have no value in the lives of the people in a selective manner.”

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IPF insisted that NDDC “fake programs such as Project Hope, NDDC Youth Internship Scheme, Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) should be probed,” adding that they were not impactful but a “medium of syphoning the commission’s treasury.”

The media council further alleged that “Ogbuku was not working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s interest in winning the Niger Delta’s support, but only interested in becoming the next governor of Bayelsa State.”

The IFP further accused Ogbuku of “doing selective empowerment of boys that were loyal to him, political leaders he feels will support him for his political ambition, his numerous girl friends and his Ayakoro community.”

The IPF warned that Tinubu’s re-election bid would suffer a terrible setback if Ogbuku-led NDDC management was not called to order.

The body added that many Niger Delta youth and communities were already angry at Tinubu for imposing Ogbuku on the throat of the commission and its people.

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Centre of Excellence for Integrated Farming System of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has trained 50 women and youth on broiler chicken production in the state.

Speaking during the flag off of the 5-day training on Tuesday, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad, Director, TETFUND Centre of Excellence of the polytechnic, said that the training is aimed to help the trainees cope with the current economic conditions.

Muhammad who called on the participants to pay closer attention to what would be taught, disclosed plans to expand the training for the benefit of youth across the northeast subregion.

“Most of our youth in this region are job seekers and we want to see a situation where by we reform the job seekers to be job givers or employers of labour.

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“We look at what we can train them on that will give them quick return or generate income in a shorter period of time and that’s why we came up with broiler chicken production which within eight weeks, they can dispose their birds and bring another sets in,” he said.

He urged the participants to make maximum use of the opportunity of the training which he said, would greatly serve as a tangible means of livelihood for them.

Similarly, Shamsu Abdu, Head of Department (HOD), Mass Communication of the polytechnic, congratulated the centre for organising the training which he called corporate social responsibility of giving back to the society.

According to him, youth empowerment is a crucial and important aspect of human development which is very important especially at this critical time when government jobs were limited and scarce.

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“It’s high time that we try to look inwards and understand some of our strengths, what we can do to make ourselves self -reliant and independent.

“I believe that at the end of this programme, participants will learn the practical, theoretical knowledge and skills on how to be self-reliant and employers of labour,” said the HOD.

Also speaking, Dr Musa Adamu, Bauchi state Coordinator of the World Bank assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, urged the youth in the Northeast subregion to take advantage of the Project towards contributing to the development of the livestock subsector in the country.

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Adamu said the project in Bauchi is focusing on key value chains of Sheep, Goat, Beef and Dairy production, hence the need for youth to take advantage of the opportunity towards contributing to the federal government’s livestock initiative.

Declaring the training open, the Rector of the polytechnic, Alh. Sani Usman appreciated TETFUND for finding the institution worthy of establishing the only centre of excellence among polytechnics in the entire Northeast.

Represented by Dr Dauda Ali, the Deputy Director, Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, the Rector called for replication of such trainings for the benefit of youth in the entire Northeast subregion.

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has flagged off the renovation and upgrading of the state House of Assembly Complex at the cost of N7.8 billion.

Mohammed stated this on Tuesday during the official flagging off of the renovation, remodeling and upgrading of the state House of Assembly Complex.

According to him, the project underscored the unwavering commitment of his administration in providing an enabling environment for all the arms of government in the state.

“The renovation, remodeling and upgrading of the Complex we are witnessing today is a case of equal and just treatment for all the three arms of government which constitute a tripod upon which the government rests.

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“The need for the complex to be put in proper shape and be provided with the necessary facilities, befitting its status has therefore become imperative.

“This project has been given at the cost of N7.8 billion for which 50 percent cent of the money has already been approved and paid to the contractor and it has a 12 months completion period.

“Indeed, the mutual understanding and respect between the Executive and the Legislative arms of government has become responsible for the seamless delivery of the dividend of democracy during our time,” said Mohammed.

Earlier, Abubakar Suleiman, the Speaker, Bauchi state House of Assembly, explained that the complex was first built and commissioned during the first Republic in the 1980s when the late Abubakar Tatari Ali was the governor of the state.

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He said that since then, the complex had undergone only one minor renovation in 2011.

Suleiman added that the complex which had served as the heart of legislative processes was long overdue for refurbishment.

“On behalf of all members of the Bauchi state House of Assembly, management staff, expressed our sincere gratitude to the governor for his visionary leadership and commitment to the development of not only the legislative infrastructure but the entire infrastructure in the state.

“This renovation signifies not only a physical upgrade but also a renewed dedication to transparency, efficiency and service delivery to our constituents.

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“The project will modernise our facilities, enhance our working environment and enable us to better fulfill our constitutional responsibilities and service delivery to our constituents.”

He called on all honorable members, the staff and the people of Bauchi state to view the project as a collective effort and an investment in democracy, governance and future generations.

Also, Mr Danlami Kaule, Commissioner for Housing and Environment, said as the ministry charged with the supervision of the project, he would do his best to make sure that the contractor delivered a quality and timely project.