General
Group Describes Anti-Uduaghan Protests as ‘Political Gimmick’
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A group has picked holes in the protests against the former Governor of Delta State, Mr Emmanuel Uduaghan, saying it is the handiwork of political mischief makers.
The group, under the aegis of Action Youths for Good Governance (AYGG), said these protests were geared towards the 2019 general elections.
Mr Uduaghan has recently become a major target of his political enemies, who are scared of his popularity in the oil-rich state, especially with his giant strides as Governor of Delta State.
Earlier, the AYGG had alerted members of the public, especially residents of the state, of efforts being made by some politicians to attack the former Governor.
“We want to alert members of the public, most particularly Deltans at home and abroad of the planned attack on the immediate-past governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan by agents of darkness in the state.
“The attack will start in the form of mass protests in different parts of the state and outside,” spokesman of AYGG, Mr Felix Obuah had said.
According to Mr Obuah, “We know the people involved. They are powerful people in this state who feel threatened by the enormous influence Dr Uduaghan wields.
“We know they are after some politicians; those who sacrificed so much so that Delta would be an enviable state that it is today. They want them out of the scene. We know them.”
True to this, the plot is hatching in phases, and some individuals have begun mass protests in different parts of the state, all aimed at discrediting the person of the ex-governor and all he represents.
Last week, some individuals under the auspices of Delta Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum were seen protesting around the Government House in Asaba, bearing placards that seemed to disrepute the former Governor and his administration.
They were calling for his prosecution by the ICPC and EFCC without providing evidence of his maladministration.
Addressing newsmen in front of the Government House, leader of the group, Mr Fejiro Oliver, accused Mr Uduaghan of looting several billions of Naira from the state.
But AYGG said the former Governor was not the only politician being targeted in the recent onslaught, but the immediate-past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay, and other officials who served under the Mr Uduaghan-led administration.
“The enemies of the state are said to have doled out some amount of money in the region of N300 million to see their nefarious act to a conclusive end,” revealed Mr Obuah.
“We learned career protesters have been hired from within the country and beyond while protest materials were shipped in last week preparatory to the action which resumed this week. We also learned that over 3000 printed T-shirts were ordered and delivered successfully as well as a reasonable number of banners carrying messages.
“There are suggestions also that before the resumption of the sponsored protests, some individuals had approached the former Governor with intent to blackmail him and his refusal to yield to the bribe demand by them was what started the protests.”
Mr Uduaghan was the Governor of Delta State for eight years from May 29, 2007 and while in office, Business Post gathered that he impacted positively on the loves of Deltans through various developmental projects embarked upon by his administration.
Chief among these was the institution of a special project to finance medical assistance to residents of the state where over N1.4 billion was expended.
His administration also embarked on health programmes as the Free-under Five health programme where all the children within the age bracket of 0-5years were taken care of irrespective of the ailments.
The Mr Uduaghan administration also embarked on a Free Maternal Health programme which enabled government hospitals attend to pregnant and expectant mothers from conception to the period of delivery free of charge.
It was once reported that the antenatal care unit of each hospital was recording up to 200 to 400 attendants on daily basis. The hospitals were made to handle serious advocacy issues on care during pregnancy aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality.
On the Free Rural Health Scheme programme, the government of Delta State under Mr Uduaghan attended to the rural people in all parts of the state, treating various health needs of the people irrespective of the nature of the ailment free of charge.
The scheme cut across all ages and sexes as issues bordering on fibroid, hernia, partial blindness and other sundry health challenges were tackled by health care professionals.
He also ensured the fees of all students sitting for the secondary school final examinations were paid.
It was a policy he underpinned by the observation that some students even after going through the free school programme, were unable to pay the fees required before they could sit for the National Examination Council (NECO), and the West African Examinations Council (WASC) exams.
The former Governor also initiated a policy which ensured that missionary schools were returned to their original owners. As at the last count before he vacated office, 40 missionary schools were returned to their owners while the government built parallel schools.
Under Mr Uduaghan, over 700 primary and secondary schools were either reconstructed or rehabilitated just as the state fully implemented a compulsory and free basic education policy.
Mr Uduaghan’s administration achieved much in the area of infrastructure, housing scheme, roads construction, street lights and provision of modern transport facilities and hospitals, speak volume and are too numerous to mention.
The state government invested in the federal government’s independent power projects (IPP) started during the former President Olusegun Obasanjo era with a commitment of about N15.7 billion.
He also started a Delta State Independent Power Plant in Oghara and invested in transformers, distribution and transmission lines to upgrade power distribution in both urban and rural communities in the state.
In his determination to reposition Asaba as a befitting state capital and a hub of social, economic and political activities, an airport at a cost of N17 billion was built.
When the idea of Asaba International Airport came, those who did not understand his vision said it was not a priority venture at the time, but as they later found out, it was just one component of a larger dream, a revolution to make the state the economic hub in the West Africa sub-region.
Creating special economic zones and industrial clusters: (Koko/Ogidigben Free Trade Zone, Warri Industrial Business Park and Asaba Information Communication Technology, ICT Park; embarking on dualization of Warri-Ughelli-Asaba to attract Onitsha traders to import their goods through Warri port; and expanding the Osubi Airport were all part of the broader initiative to take the state to the next level.
Also following sustained drive in tourism and hospitality industry, a $240 million Delta Leisure Resorts, the biggest in West Africa was to be set up at Oleri, Udu Local Government Area in partnership with a private investor, Sarner PFM, while a Wildlife Park was planned for Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha Local Government Area.
Investigations reveal that though the anti-Uduaghan protests have recorded some hoodlums carrying placards, allegedly backed heavily by some powerful people in the state, have remained unpopular amongst the masses who seemed to be confused as to what would have warranted them.
Most of them spoken to in the state attested to the achievements of the former governor’s administration while in office.
By and large, the next election year is almost at hand and it remains to be seen how convinced people will be as regards the antics of the present-day politician.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Celebrated broadcaster with Arise TV, Mrs Ayo Mario-Ese, has charged women to be open to collaboration and not limit themselves.
The charming media personality was one of the panellists at the UBA Business Series themed Introducing Gen W – The Evolved Woman, held at the UBA House in Lagos last Thursday.
At the event moderated by popular actor, Mr Tobi Bakre, the Morning Show anchor on Arise TV expressed worry about females who are usually laidback about speaking up and sharing their achievements, and said that women need to own their stories.
“A lot of women are doing phenomenal work and are sometimes afraid of showcasing what they are doing. As an evolved woman, you have to find out what you are comfortable doing, create your own unique offering, and also be open to collaboration,” she submitted.
Another panellist, Ms Joycee Awosika, described an evolved woman as one who has awareness of who she is.
“That woman does not need to ask to sit at the table; she is creating her own table and adding value. As your company is growing, you must grow too, and always do an audit of where you need to become a better leader,” the energy economist stated.
For a digital entrepreneur, Ms Tomike Adeoye, the question of what a woman is bringing to the table has now become obsolete, as the evolved woman is now bringing their own table.
“She is now more vocal about their struggles, setting the standards, and she is not ready to give up on her dreams,” she declared.
For the founder of Fine-Funky, Ms Olufunke Davies, she remarked that, “Creating unique designs that are affordable remains my driving force and something that has helped me grow as an evolved woman.”
In her remarks, the Group Head for Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications at UBA, Ms Alero Ladipo, said, “Raising each woman is actually not that hard, because everyone has their community as well as their story; and so as women, we need to take a position so that we can give to others.”
She said the Gen W platform of the lender is dedicated to the evolved woman, adding, “Through expert insights, real stories, and practical resources, the platform connects women who are building brands, creating businesses, growing careers, and leading across industries. They also have access to a plethora of discounted products and loans. The best part: it is open to every woman. No UBA account needed. This is Gen W, for the evolved woman.”
This edition of the UBA Business Series was hosted to mark International Women’s Month.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, revealing that personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation Delta Sentinel, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft (Anti-COT) team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Mr Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure—including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining—was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) area in Calabar, Cross River.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
The official said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The captain reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation Delta Sentinel through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.
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