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Focus more on regional projects, Wike urges new NDDC governing board

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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has advised the governing board members of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to focus on regional projects that will help develop the region.

Wike gave the advice during a courtesy visit to the governor by members of the NDDC governing board led by its Chairman, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, on Friday in Port Harcourt.

He urged the governing board to embrace the conceptualisation and implementation of projects like the construction of highways with bridges to link states.

He said that such projects would serve as economic corridors to ease interstate movements and promote socio-economic integrations within the region.

According to him, such big-ticket projects will impact positively on the lives of people in the region, urging the commission to effectively support the Niger Delta region in their development efforts.

He further said it was important that the states are aware of the projects and programmes NDDC was planning to implement to avoid duplication of projects.

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The governor congratulated the board members on their appointment but remarked: I want to believe that you are sincere in your declaration that you will do things differently henceforth”.

He, however, lamented that the amount of money that had passed through the NDDC was not commensurate with the development on ground.

Wike advised NDDC to avoid awarding contracts to politicians who lack the capacity to execute quality projects.

He stressed on the importance of collaboration and expressed displeasure on a situation where the NDDC embarks on projects and programmes without liaising with the state governments for harmonisation.

”Let us know when you want to execute projects in the state, we have to avoid duplication of projects,” the governor said.

He also said that the board members should resist pressure from politicians who would want them to dance to their selfish tunes.

He urged Niger Delta region to resist those trying to use them to work against the interest of the people.

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Earlier in her remarks, the NDDC chairman said that the commission was determined to partner with the governors of the Niger Delta region.

Onochie said that the execution of many projects and development that had taken place in the state by Wike’s administration was amazing and commendable.

“I commend you and your administration for these impacting projects,” she said.

Onochie said that the new board under her leadership would emulate the outstanding performance of the Rivers government.

She added that the board was visiting the governor to ask for his guidance because they are determined to change the trajectory of the NDDC.

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UPDATED: DHQ declares physics professor, 7 others wanted over murder of 17 soldiers in Delta

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted in connection to the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.

The 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.

 

Among those declared wanted are Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.

The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

On Wednesday, the personnel were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.

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The president also offered scholarships to children of the late officers.

 

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

 

He added that the Nigerian Army exercised “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.

 

The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.

 

“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.

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We didn’t monitor Labour Party national convention, says INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it did not monitor the national convention of the Labour Party (LP).

 

Recall that on Wednesday, the LP conducted its national convention at the Grand Seasons Hotel, in Nnewi, Anambra state.

Julius Abure was re-elected as chairman of the party at the convention.

However, Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said that the conduct of the convention was not monitored by the electoral umpire.

Oyekanmi did not specify why INEC did not monitor the convention.

The convention was initially slated for March 29 but was later changed to March 27. The leadership of the party had said the date was changed because the initial day falls on Good Friday, a very important date for the Christian faithful across the world.

The venue was also changed from Abia to Anambra.

 

Speaking on the change of venue, Kehinde Edun, LP national legal adviser, said the party duly informed INEC about the change in venue and date.

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“So, we are at liberty to pick any venue of our choice. We only need to inform INEC about the change in venue and the time,” Edun said.

 

There have been calls for the party to suspend its national convention.

 

On March 17, the house of representatives caucus of the LP called for the suspension of the convention to enable the party “properly plan” the event.

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described Abure’s re-election as “an illegality”.

 

On March 16, the NLC and LP traded words over calls for the suspension of the party’s convention and resignation of Abure as chairman of the party.

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DHQ declares eight wanted over murder of 17 soldiers in Delta

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted in connection to the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.

The 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.

 

DHQ named those declared wanted as Akeywiru Omotegbono, Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.

More to follow…

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