*Says Delta is a state that doesn’t discriminate, calls for more investment as Delta is safe, hospital

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has appreciated Ndigbo for their effort in making him emerge as Delta State governor.

According to Rt. Hon. Oborevwori in his words, while addressing the Igbo Forum, “you worked very hard for my emergence as Governor of Delta State I appreciate you”.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also assured investors of a peaceful investment climate in the state.

Oborevwori gave the assurance on Tuesday July 4, 2023 when he received on courtesy visit members of the Ndigbo Cultural Forum Asaba chapter at Government House, Asaba.

The Governor thanked the Forum for supporting his gubernatorial ambition and for their various investments in the state.

He urged them to consider investing further by taking advantage of the peaceful environment across the state.

He said: “I welcome you to Delta State Government House. I am very happy to receive all of you this afternoon. I am happy because you have accepted me as your own.

“You worked very hard for my emergence as governor. I remember when I came for consultation prior to my election, you all supported me.

“I have told Deltans that I want to be governor for all and not just for only Deltans but for all who live in Delta State. This is because where you live is where you develop.

“I have had a good relationship with you people even before my intention to be a governor. So this relationship did not start today.

“So I want to sincerely appreciate all of you for your show of love and assure you that we will partner together.

“I encourage you to come and invest more in Delta. Delta state is very safe and you can attest to the peace we are enjoying here today.

“Delta state is a state that do not discriminate. We live together here and I know that some of you gave birth to your children here in Delta; which invariably makes them citizens of Delta state.

“This state is accommodative and we will make sure that we develop this state together even as we urge you all to bring more of your investments down to Delta,” Governor Oborevwori said.

Earlier, Chairman of the Forum, Chief Chinedu Obodo, said they were in the state to congratulate Oborevwori on his victory and successful inauguration as Governor of Delta State.

He said they invested so much in the state because of the peace that pervades the city, assuring that they would do more to support the government with massive investments across the state.

Obodo assured that the group and Ndigbos would further bring their investments to all parts of the state.

By: Our Correspondent

*Says it wasn’t DTSG  that borrowed

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Delta State chapter, on Monday, clarified reports published in a section of the media as regards the N40 billion borrowed to pay accrued rights owed primary school and local government pensioners in the State.

The State ALGON Chairman, Hon. Victor Ebonka, who gave the clarification after a meeting of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) in Asaba, said it was not the State Government that was borrowing the funds.

Flanked by his colleagues, Ebonka said it was the statutory duty of Local Governments to pay pensions to its retirees as well as Local Education Authority (primary school retirees).

He said the problem arose due to error in the enrollment of the workers into the contributory pension scheme.

According to Ebonka, “in this Country constitutionally, we have three tiers of government; the Federal, the State and the Local Governments. We all have separate responsibilities.

“It is our constitutional responsibility to pay the Local Government staff and primary school teachers salaries.

“And we are not unmindful of the lingering problems that we have with regards to the pension benefits of the Local Government staff and that of the primary school teachers.

“This problem was inherited from the two previous administrations and it has to do with an error in the enrollment into the contributory pension scheme.

“And for this short comings, we have found ourselves owing their accrued rights from 2016 to date. The past administration set a machinery in motion and has tried to ensure that the debt is liquidated by giving several grants totaling about N5 billion and increased statutory contribution from N200 million a month to N500 million.

“Despite all these grants from the State Government, we have not been able to clear the outstanding arrears and this made the immediate past administration to set up a Committee comprising of myself the ALGON Chairman, the Head of Service and other stakeholders.

“The Committee went to the bond market to get a facility but was not successful because the cost of funds was quite expensive. So we approached the commercial bank to get the facility and we can say that Zenith Bank has agreed to afford us N40 billion out of the N51 billion indebted to the pensioners”.

He said the State Government did not borrow N40 billion as reported in some quarters, adding that the only role played by the State Government was to give approval and forward same to the State Assembly for ratification.

“So it is exclusively the Local Government Councils that are borrowing this money. You know that by law, we need the approval of the State Government and the ratification of the State Assembly and that was sort for and it was granted by the Governor and approved by the State House of Assembly.

“So any moment from now, the pensioners will smile home. We also want to state that no penny from the N40 billion is going to the coffers of the Local Governments.

“We are going to cover about ninety percent of the accrued rights from this money, all of the monies will be paid directly to the pensioners,” he said.

On environmental sanitation across the Council areas, the ALGON boss appealed to residents to abide by relevant laws, adding that mobile courts would soon be set up to try offenders.

More than 50 names of military officers across the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Army, Navy and the Air Force have been penciled down for promotion following the deadline given to top generals to exit the service, Daily Trust reliably learnt yesterday.

The officers, who are on the rank of brigadier generals and colonels respectively in the Nigerian Army and its equivalent in the Navy and the Air force, are expected to fill the vacant positions at various formations of the armed forces in the country.

Although the Military Council Board saddled with the responsibility of promotion approval is yet to sit, it was learnt that those to be considered for the promotion are of Regular Course 43 of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Apart from the CDS who is a member of Regular Course 38, the three service chiefs – Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff are members of 39 RC of the NDA.

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Daily Trust reports that the new development on promotion came following the July 3 (today) deadline given to the senior military officers by the Military High Command to voluntarily tender their resignations and exit the service.

The order, which was contained in a memo dated June 26 and signed by Maj.-Gen. Y. Yahaya on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, was directed to generals, brigadier generals, air vice marshals, and rear admirals in the three services, who are seniors to the new service chiefs.

A memo by the Defence Headquarters with reference number DHQ/I5/PLANS/801/13 explained that it was meant to preserve and uphold the tenets of the military profession which values hierarchy and service discipline.

The memo, copied to the army, navy and air force headquarters, directed all officers with seniority on commission above that of Regular Course 39 of the NDA to submit their applications for voluntary retirement from service with immediate effect.

Findings by Daily Trust revealed on Sunday that all members of 38 Regular Course of the NDA had submitted their voluntary retirement applications before the close of work on Friday as directed by the Defence Headquarters.

A senior military officer, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said some members of 39 Regular Course of the NDA submitted their applications except those redeployed newly by the new service chiefs.

The source also explained that recommendations are already being made on those to be considered for the promotion in the three services, adding that the approval will come after the Military Council Board will have interviewed and ratified the names of those recommended.

In the same vein, a member of RC 43 who spoke anonymously also told Daily Trust that some members of RC 40, 41 and 42 have reached the rank of major generals, rear admirals and AVM, and they are currently filling the vacant positions in the latest shake-up.

He said, “Those positions that were left vacant have already been occupied or are in the process of being occupied, and the officers that are occupying those positions are already in the rank cadre. I mean they are already wearing the rank they require to occupy them.”

Tinubu to decorate new service chiefs

Speaking further, he said, “When the service chiefs are promoted, except they want to change the old order, their course mates cannot be promoted because we cannot have two captains in a boat. When the service chiefs are promoted to lieutenant generals, their course mates will remain major generals while they are still in service.”

Several calls to the telephone lines of army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu; the acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau and the NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, went unanswered.

The trio were yet to reply to separate text messages sent to them.

But the spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said, “I don’t know, I’m not aware. The promotion that normally comes at this time, except you’re talking about another one, is the service chiefs that have just resumed.

“Normally, when they resume office like this, and the National Assembly confirms them, then, the Chief of Defence Staff will be promoted to the four-star general (full general) while the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Lagbaja will be promoted to Lt.-Gen.

“Rear Admiral Ogalla will be promoted to vice admiral, while Air Vice Marshal Abubakar will be promoted to air marshal. That’s the only one we anticipate. I don’t know of any other one because promotion in the services comes at about this time when middle cadre officers are considered by the promotion board.

“Around the last quarter of the year, the senior officers or cadre are considered for 1-star and 2-star generals. That’s the only one I know and the timetable has not changed over the years. It cannot just change now.”

Army chief retains course mates

Meanwhile, the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has retained some of his course mates to work closely with at the headquarters in order to achieve the mandate of containing insecurity challenges.

Checks by Daily Trust showed that Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, the course mate of COAS, has now been appointed as the Chief of Administration at Army Headquarters, Abuja.

In a statement on Saturday by the army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the deployment of Akpor and other officers will take effect today.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Sir Festus Ahon says the Governor is taking his time to pick suitable and competent hands to be appointed into the State Executive Council.

Ahon, who was reacting to reports in a section of the media, said the Governor is not under pressure from anyone, not even his predecessor, on choice of cabinet members as was wrongly reported.

He described the publication as a figment of the imagination of the writer and appealed to Journalists to avoid speculations that could heat up the polity.

Ahon said: “First, the State House of Assembly was constituted on June 13 and thereafter went on recess for two weeks and only recovened on Tuesday June 27.

“The Governor will pick credible and capable persons devoid of sentiments that will help him deliver on his M.O.R.E Agenda for Deltans.

“The report is therefore wrong in its entirety and borne out of mischief. Former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa does not interfere with appointments.”

He enjoined Deltans to be patient with the State Government as it was poised to deliver more for the people.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, has congratulated his Edo counterpart, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on his 66th birth anniversary on July 1.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, in Asaba, lauded Obaseki for his outstanding accomplishments in Edo.

He said that Obaseki had through his ingenuity made appreciable progress in the governance of the state, adding that posterity would judge him kindly for his sterling legacies and accomplishments over the years.

Oborevwori said that the Edo governor had continued to demonstrate patriotism and unrelenting service to his state and the nation, and prayed to God to grant him long life, good health and wisdom as he continued to serve his people and Nigeria.

He commended the Governor for his efforts toward rejuvenating education in his state with the successful implementation of “EDOBEST”, noting that the people of the State and Nigerians are watching his achievements with keen interest.

“I must commend you, my dear brother Governor, for your sterling accomplishments in the development of your State, which I believe will enable you finish strong and influence the people of the state to return our party, the PDP back to Government House at the end of your tenure.

“Your Excellency, it is worthy of note that you are delivering on your star project ‘EDOBEST’ and improving educational facilities for the people of Edo.

“I must also commend you for the numerous infrastructural projects and job creation programmes which has seen many Edo youths empowered with grants to become successful entrepreneurs.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I heartily rejoice with my brother governor, an outstanding professional and seasoned administrator, Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, on his 66th birth anniversary.

“It is my prayer and that of the government and people of Delta State that God will continue to bless you with robust health and wisdom to serve God and humanity,” Oborevwori said.

The Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti has forwarded a list of 19 Commisioner nominees to the Abia State House of Assembly.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the State Assembly, Dr Otti named the following as commissioner nominees:

1. Prof Monica Ironkwe

2. Kingsely Anoribe

3. Prof Eme Uche

4. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna

5. Mike Akpara

6. Ngozi Okoronkwo

6. Okey Kanu

8. Ikechukwu Uwaoma

9. Chaka Chukwumereije

10. Uzo Nwachukwu

11. Prof Joel Friday Ogbonna

12. Chima Emmanuel Oriaku

13. Nwaobilor Nwadimma Ananaba

14. Dr Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu

15. Ngozi Blessing Felix

16. Engr Don Otumchere Oti

17. Comrade Sunny Okebugwu Onwuma

18. Engr Ikechukwu Monday and

19. Mathew Chikodi Ekwuribe.

By: Celestine Ukah 

*Urges Warri residents to sustain their support for Governor Oborevwori’s vision to develop Delta

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Warri South Local Government Area, Amb. Dr. Toyin Agbolaya JP has expressed his joy to Muslims faithful in Warri South local government Area as they join their counterparts across the world to celebrate 2023 Eid-el Kabir festival of sacrifice.

Amb. Agbolaya JP said the celebration is all about obedience to Almighty Allah’s commandment to Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael which he obeyed and God showed him mercy and gave him ram in place of his son because He believed in God and His ways.

Amb. Agbolaya who’s a seasoned administrator and development strategist and also a leader in Warri South PDP in his good will terse made available to the press through his Media and Communication Strategist, urged all residents of Warri South and its environs to continue supporting the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and his vision to develop Delta State.

He enjoined Deltans to be patient with the governor as he is poised to embark on massive development of Warri and the entire state in continuation of the previous administration with completion of already awarded ongoing projects in the area.

“I congratulate my , friends, family and all Muslim Ummah in Warri South and beyond on this year 2023 Eid-el-kabir, which has pleased Almighty Allah for Muslim faithful to be part of.

“Eid-el-kabir is around to remind us, once again of how the Almighty God usually intervene to turn a situation of hopelessness to that of hope and happiness.

“We should all use the opportunity of this year 2023 festive season to pray for continued peace and restoration of the values that place high premium on human life in our dear Warri South, Delta State and Nigeria, demonstrate the essence of unity among the various ethnic groups in our nation.

“May the blessings of Almighty Allah fill your home on this Eid-el-kabir”. He expressed.

Barka de sallah!

Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has congratulated the Dein of Agbor, HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu, Keagborekuzi 1, on his 46th birth anniversary.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, in Asaba, Oborevwori said the Agbor monarch is one of the most reverred and influential kings in the State and Country and lauded him for his outstanding contributions to growth of his Kingdom, the State and Country.

The Governor said that the Dein has provided dedicated and inspirational leadership for the Agbor people over the years and deserves to be celebrated at 46.

He lauded the monarch’s contributions to solving the challenges posed by unemployment, social deviance and value orientation among youths, leading to the establishment of the Agbor Youth Learning, Development and Empowerment Centre.

Oborevwori said: “On behalf of the Government and people of Delta, I warmly felicitate with HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu I, CON, the Dein of Agbor Kingdom on the occasion of his 46th birth anniversary on June 29.

“It is my prayer that Almighty God will continue to give you good health and wisdom to pilot the traditional affairs of your kingdom, even as we continue to look forward to your valuable contributions to the development of our dear State and Country,” Governor Oborevwori stated.

A Deltan and Niger Delta  born renowned human, environmental and development rights advocate, Comrade Mulade Sheriff has dragged the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, former Governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and the Attorney-General of Delta State to High Court, Warri.

The claimant who is an indigene and former chairman of oil rich Kokodiagbene Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State said that he is dragging the two former Governors, DESOPADEC board and the Attorney General of the State to court for the interpretation of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 13 (1) of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 established to cater for the wellbeing of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in the State.

According to him, it was worthy of note that the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Law 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively was established to expressly execute a clear mandate as stated in Section 13(1) of the DESOPADEC Law which provides thus:

“The commission shall receive and administer exclusively 50% of the Oil Derivation fund accruing to the Delta State Government for;

a) The rehabilitation of the oil producing communities/areas of the state;

b) Other development projects as may be determined from time to time by the communities”.

The activist recently mobilized host communities under the auspices of Association of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State to the headquarters of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja, calling on the anti-graft agency to probe, investigate and recover the misappropriated fund back to DESOPADEC to enable them Development the oil producing communities in the State.

“It is unfortunate that previous administrations have starved the commission of its legal and lawful entitlement of 50% of the 13% Oil Derivation fund thereby making the commission moribund where projects are claimed to have been executed and commissioned only on papers and media documentary”, the activist lamented.

“I am equally dragging them to the court to account for the sum of N1.863,478,177,892.60 (ONE TRILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE BILLION, FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-EIGHT MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SEVEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY TWO THOUSAND, SIXTY KOBO) that was received by both administrations in line with the records available to me upon an application to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the 13% oil derivation fund from the Federation Account to the Delta State Government between 2007 – 2022, which clearly shows that, the sum of N1.863,478,177,892.60 has been disbursed to the Delta State Government from July 2007 to December 2022, for the Rehabilitation and Development of the oil Producing Communities/Areas in Delta State”, he added.

Comrade Mulade Sheriff said that; “It is very disheartening and callous to note that despite the copious and unambiguous provisions of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 13 (1) of the DESOPADEC Law of 2006 (as amended), 2007, 2015 and 2018 respectively, the former Governors of Delta State, their Excellencies, Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa deliberately and flagrantly abused, violated and breached the above provisions of the Law and misappropriated the said funds for their personal use while at the helm of affairs of the state at the expense of the suffering people of the Oil and Gas Producing Communities in Delta State”.

He pointed out that Section 13 (1) of the DESOPADEC Law 2006 (as amended) 2007, 2015 and 2018, the commission is legally and lawfully entitled to 50% from the 13% oil derivation fund from the Federation Account which is calculated at N931,739,088,946.3k (Nine hundred and Thirty-One Billion, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Eighty-Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Six Naira, Three Kobo) from the Delta State Government for both administrations but the reverse was the case.

“It is imperative to state that from the information obtained and records available, it is obvious that the Delta Government grossly underfunded the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission particularly under Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa who received whooping sum of N1.077,450,285,552,17 but consistently and deliberately disbursed less than the sum of N20,000,000,000 (Twenty Billion Naira) only annually for the past Eight Years. This was confirmed by the immediate-past State commissioner for information, under former governor Okowa, Mr Charles Aniagwu, that the state remitted N208 billion from 2015-2023 to DESOPADEC against N538,725,142.776,085k (FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT BILLION, SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE MILLION, ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX THOUSAND, EIGHTY-FIVE KOBO). We have a missing N330,725,142.776,085k (Three Hundred and thirty billion, Seven Hundred twenty five million, one hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Seven Hundred Seventy-Six thousand, fifteen kobo)”, excluding January 2023 — May 2023, those missing funds must be recovered by every means legally possible for the development of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State, he stated.