Pollution: A’Ibom Oil Communities Demand N16.4bn Compensation
Akwa Ibom oil producing communities under the auspices of Akwa Ibom Oil Producing Community Development Network (AKIPCON), has demanded more than N16.4 billion compensation over some communities affected by oil pollution in the state.
In a petition letter addressed to the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and signed by the organisation lawyer, Barrister N. A. Williams of Reliance Chambers, the group said its efforts to secure reparation for the affected communities have been largely ignored.
According to Williams, the organisation, for many years, has been demanding for compensation from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other oil companies following the devastating impacts of hydrocarbon pollution- oil spills, gas flaring and toxic waste dumping and gas leakages/emissions from corked and uncorked wells.
The petitioners disclosed that faulty oil well head had resulted in repeated oil spills at the Ikot Ada Udo, SPDC Ibibio 1, yet, the oil firm responsible has refused to compensate the affected communities. The group recalled that “the Ikot Ada Udo, SPDC Ibibio 1 oil spills incident first occurred in the year 1997. It re-occurred in 1999, 2004 and lasted till 2007, due to Ibibio 1 oil well head facility failure.
“The spills resulted in the discharge of remarkable quantity of crude oil into the majorly rural farmlands and water bodies in Ikot Ada Udo and adjoining villages in Ikpa Nung Asang clan in Ikot Abasi L.G.A, Ibiaku/Ukpum Minya clans in Mkpat Enin L.G.A and Abak Midim in Oruk Anam L.G.A. The spills drastically affected the ecosystem, wellbeing of the inhabitants and the environment.
“Sequel to this unfavorable development, the community attorney consulted an Accredited Estate Surveyors and Valuers, who carried out valuation of the damages caused by the said spill/gas emissions, which is in the sum of N4,136,484,000.00 (Four Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand Naira) only for Ikot Ada Udo. The valuation for villages in Ikpa Nung Asang in Ikot Abasi L.G.A, Ukpum Minya/Ibiaku Clan in Mkpat Enin L.G.A and other SPDC’s host communities in Akwa Ibom State is N12,266,950,000.00 (Twelve Billion, Two Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only, totaling N16,403,434,000.00 (Sixteen Billion, Four Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand Naira) only.”
While waiting for Court of Appeal and National Human Rights Commission’s Special Investigation Panel (SIP) set up in 2016 to investigate oil spills and environmental pollution to conclude all AKIPCON matters before it, including the Ibibio 1 oil spill incident, the organisation alleged that “SPDC surreptitiously sell out Ibibio 1 & II oil and gas wells to your company which has now become part of your OML13. This is in order for SPDC to avoid payment of compensation to alleviate the long years of sufferings of their host community of Ikot Ada Udo and other affected communities.
“It is upon these facts and circumstances that our Client has instructed us to raise this representation to you to inform you that since you have bought and fully taken over the aforesaid assets of SPDC (Ibibio 1 & II oil and gas wells – being part of your OML13), you should take immediate steps to settle the liabilities left behind by paying compensation to the victims of the said oil spill using Valuation Report already submitted to SPDC, within 30 days upon the receipt of this letter,” the solicitors demanded.
The lawyers expressed hope that as responsible and responsive company operating under the law and international best practices, NNPV will create an avenue of dialogue with AKIPCON to negotiate on this matter for the sake of justice and industrial harmony
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Senate Committee On FCT Promises Quick 2021 Appropriation Bill Passage
As questions are being raised by federal lawmakers on how several ministries and their agencies implemented the 2020 budget, the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has assured of quick and expeditious passage of the territory’s 2021 expenditure proposals of more than N243 billion.
Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Abubakar Kyari, assured that the territory’s statutory budget would be approved before the end of 2020 financial year to enable the FCT Administration complete strategic ongoing development projects spread across the six area councils.
Senator Kyari gave the assurance during the 2021 budget defence by officials of the FCTA led by the Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Bello, who pleaded for quick consideration of the proposals to enable contractors go back to work, pointing out that only about 40% success was recorded in budget implementation during the outgoing year.
The committee chairman decried the level of under-development, especially within the satellite towns of the FCT, despite the huge amounts of money spent annually on infrastructure and other services.
He remarked that at the slow rate of growth, it might take Abuja more than 50 years to attain the type of development befitting the federal capital of Nigeria, a nation which prides itself as the giant of Africa.
The lawmaker warned against embarking on new projects in the 2021 financial year and he advised the administration to concentrate more on the development of the satellite towns to decongest the city and reduce the pressure from population explosion.
FCT minister, Musa Bello, blamed the unimpressive performance of the 2020 budget on the Covid-19 pandemic and the #endsars protests but assured that the FCTA will improve on its rating in 2021.
The minister promised that no new projects will be initiated in 2021 but added that the administration will concentrate on completing old ones especially the Millennium Tower located at the city centre.
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FCT Administration Moves To Resolve Workers’ Minimum Wage Strike
Executive members of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) met for several hours on Thursday evening with representatives of the FCT Administration to find lasting solutions to the month-long strike by primary school teachers and area council employees.
The workers downed tools and boycotted classes as well as offices since October 1, 2020, to press home their demand that the six area councils should commence payment of the new minimum wage which came into effect throughout the country about four months ago.
Insiders, who are labour leaders at the closed-door meeting, disclosed that the negotiating parties could not arrive at any meaningful agreement when the meeting ended Thursday night.
The major bone of contention revolved round arguments from both government officials and unionists on how the FCT Administration can pay the huge sum of money involved without crippling administrative operations and other essential services required by Abuja residents.
During the short break granted to enable participants ease and stretch themselves, the FCT NULGE President, Comrade Hassan Abubakar Yakubu, told anxious newsmen that worker’s compliance with the industrial action was 100% and guaranteed to last indefinitely.
He warned that it would be a mistake for government to underrate the resolve of the workers to prolong the strike stressing that members will not back down until their demands for full payment of the outstanding emoluments are met.
He stated that the arrears amounted to more than N6 billion and assured that workers would only go back to work when the area council chairmen accept to implement the new wage regime and pay the backlog instalmentally.
“We are aware that the area councils may not have the capacity to pay the arrears immediately. We can accept gradual settlement of the arrears on the condition that the chairmen should accept to start the implementation of the new minimum wage throughout the six area councils.”
Yakubu urged members to be patient and steadfast in their resolve despite the hardship being experienced assuring that victory will come at the end of the struggle.
“We have been patient for twenty months. I ask members for more patience as the lingering issues are about to be resolved amicably. Victory will be on our side because what we are asking for are our rights. We will get positive results,” he said.
Public primary schools have remained closed in Abuja since last month when schools reopened in the FCT after the long break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, junior administrative workers of area councils have boycotted their offices due to non-payment of the minimum wage.
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PH DisCo Begins Distribution Of 1m Pre-Paid Meters In 4 States
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) on Monday commenced the distribution of about one million pre-paid meters to customers in four states.
The states are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.
Dr Henry Ajagbawa, Managing Director of the company, flagged-off the exercise in Port Harcourt as part of the National Mass Metering Programme (NIMMP) launched by the Federal Government.
Recall that the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had introduced NIMMP to end the estimated billing system by distribution companies in the country.
“The mass metering exercise will begin in Rivers state, followed by Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers until every single customer is metered.
“The exercise is going to be done in phases, and we are starting with phase zero with the deployment of 77,000 metres to homes and offices in Rivers.
“Thereafter, we will then move to phase one of the mass metering of customers across our franchise area,” Ajagbawa said.
He said that PHED was already discussing with its bankers and the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) to acquire hundreds of thousands of meters for the exercise.
He said that the company had a metering gap of over 851,000 in its coverage states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers.
“Aside our metering gap of 851,000 meters, we need another 100,000 meters to replace other metres. So, we need a total of about one million meters.
“In addition, we expect that we should be able to install a minimum of 20,000 meters per month, meaning that it will take us about three years to meter the four states.
“On completion of the exercise within the shortest possible time, customers will no longer have complaints of estimated bill,” he said.
The managing director warned customers against meter bypass.
According to him, the company will arrest and prosecute customers found to have bypassed their meters to cheat PHED of its revenue.
“Customers should prepare to change their old habits by managing their electricity to enable them to afford their energy consumption.
“The question is, why put on your air conditioner or fan when the weather is not hot or when you are not in the room?
“So, we must begin to question our habits to see how we can conserve energy, because people will be made to pay what they consume on the meters,” he advised.
Diamete Miller, the Commissioner of Power in Rivers, commended the Federal Government for taking steps to address the estimated billing practice.
Represented by Lucky Anama, a Director in the power ministry, Miller said the state government had recently completed a 48 mega watts transmission station to boost power supply in the state.
“So, we are excited that this mass metering exercise will address the estimated billing system to enable Rivers people pay for only the energy they consume,” he said. (NAN)
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Flavour Denies Getting Married Secretly
Nigerian High Life singer Chinedu Izuchukwu Okoli, popularly known as Flavour-Nabania, has denied the rumour trending on the Internet that he’s got married secretly.
He made the disclosure, during an Instagram live session with his fans on Sunday, November 8, 2020, where he revealed that he doesn’t want to rush into marriage and still look outside.
“Did I show you any wife? You guys are giving me (high) blood pressure. What is in a woman is not yet clear to me. Some tell me, ‘I thought you are married’. To get married is a beautiful thing. However, I don’t want to get married now and still be looking outside. I belong to the wild world and I cannot be caged” he said.
The music star, complained about the make-up worn by ladies, as well as other artificial items, saying it had become alarming.
Speaking on his encounter with a fan, Flavour narrated his encounter with one of his fans. This;
“I once took a picture with a lady and she insisted that I should hold her waist. I was scared that she could be someone’s wife or girlfriend. As I tried to touch her, she said I should hold her very well. I tried holding her waist and my hand touched something very strong like stone. I noticed she wore a waist trainer. There was a space between her buttocks and back. When she was walking away, I noticed the waist trainer… if I was dating the lady and we were about getting intimate, I would have been disappointed at the sight of the waist trainer”
The ‘to be a man’ crooner, disclosed that the events of the past few months, beginning from the pandemic caused by the outrage of coronavirus to the endsars protests across the country has enlightened him and has also helped him to restructure himself.
He said; “This has been a time of sober reflection. I have been vulnerable and I have decided to be true to myself. I have been a victim of circumstance. Most times, they (women) are not what you expect when you meet them in real life. I am focused now. If I visit your (social media) page and see lots of edited pictures, I would move out. The coronavirus and everything else that have happened this year have opened my eyes. The same way youths decided to protest against bad governance was the same way I looked at my life. I am ready now. Do you know what it means for me to be womanless for a whole month? I have been feeding and giving my body the required nutrients, so any woman I come in contact with now must be worth it. I am a very strong man. I cannot be deceived by Instagram.”
#orientdailynews
Nigerian Army Fixes New Date For SSC, DSSC Qualifying Exam
The Nigerian Army has fixed November 14 for the conduct of its pre-selection examination for prospective recruits seeking enlistment into the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) and the Short Service Combatant commission (SSC),
According to the report, the computer-based suitability test, which was earlier scheduled for October 31, was deferred due to imposition of curfew in many parts of the country, in the wake of the nationwide protests against police brutality.
All concerned army units were directed by the department of military secretary to provide security and support staff at the designated examination centres on the rescheduled date.
The Orient Daily gathered that the allotted exam centres are spread across the Federal Capital Territory, Asaba, Calabar, Enugu, Gombe, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Sokoto and Yola.
The SSC provides opportunity for civilians and serving military personnel with degree certificates to assume the officers rank of the Nigerian Army as ‘Combatant’.
An explainer on the army website notes that successful candidates of the SSC “are commissioned into the rank of Second Lieutenant” after nine months of intensive military training.
The DSSC, on the other hand, also provides an avenue for the enlistment of military and civilian degree holders who are professionals in specified fields.
Successful candidates are commissioned as lieutenant after six months of intensive military training.
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2 Detained For Robbing, Attempting To Roast Victims
Two armed robbery suspects, who attempted to roast their victims alive, after robbing a household, have been arrested and detained at the detention facilities of the Cross River state police command.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abdulkadir Jimoh, who made the disclosure in Calabar, gave the names of the suspects as 22-year-old Oke Sheriff and Eyo Nsa Etim, 35; adding that during investigation, it was revealed that the suspects jumped into their victims’ compound through the kitchen and injured the children with a knife.
He said the suspects tied their victims down, poured fuel on their bed and their body, threatened to set them ablaze if they raised an alarm; but that they struggled with the robbers and alerted their parents, who came in and overpowered the suspects and then, called the police.
The commissioner disclosed further that the police also rescued, with the assistance of the Anantigha community, a kidnap victim, one Emmanuel Akpan, at Ebuka Ebuka Street in Calabar South local government area while some hoodlums were trying to abduct him and that his assailants escaped when they discovered the police were on their trail.
CP Jimoh said his men were poised to do their job and effectively police the state, adding that within the past few days, five suspects were apprehended for various crimes including armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, cultism and looting.
“Our creed is not only waging war on criminals as well as detection and prevention of crime but also putting up valiant measures to ensure that relative peace is experienced in all facets of life especially this period of security challenges.
“Let me assure residents that this command’s resolve to conscientiously operate within the principles of justice, fairness and equity as enshrined in the established laws of the state and the federation is of utmost importance.
“Within the period under review, the command in her efforts to rid off and bring crime to its barest minimum, recorded some achievements. They include the arrest of armed robbery suspects, rescue of kidnap victims, arrest of suspects for unlawful possession of firearms and sundry crime.
“At this juncture, the command enjoins all and sundry to be wary, conscious and proactive of the happenings in their respective environments, whether residential or recreational centres at all times,” he said.
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Fashola inaugurates Rivers flyover, commends Wike’s urban renewal scheme
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), at the weekend inaugurated 969. 4 metres’ long Rebisi Dual Carriage Flyover Bridge in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Fashola commended “the massive urban regeneration and renewal programme of the Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike.
The Rebisi Flyover Bridge is one of the five overhead bridge projects started simultaneously in the state by governor Wike.
The minister, who toured the bridge in company with Wike, said such development efforts would promote peace, tourism and return Port Harcourt to its Garden City status.
Fashola, who earlier toured the Rumuogba, Okoro-Nu-Odu, Rumuola and GRA Junction flyovers, said: “What I witnessed is a massive urban regeneration and urban renewal of Port Harcourt”.
He said ministers were mandated to support the developmental initiative and aspiration of every state in the country adding that it was the reason the Federal Government took a decision to refund money spent on federal roads by states.
He said the first tranche of refund was about N577bn, while the second tranche, for which, Rivers State was a beneficiary, was N148bn.
He said: “In the second tranche, it was five states. Out of those five states, I think only two were APC states and it was a total of N148bn and Governor Nyesom Wike and Rivers State got lion share. He got N78bn. Don’t sit here and think he has received N78bn, he still has to go to National Assembly because this is part of Nigeria borrowing plan”.
Fashola commended Wike for naming the Rebisi Flyover, located at Garrison Junction, after the community.
“This place use to be known as Garrison. But, clearly as we begin to shed our military toga and our democracy ages and deepen, we will see a rebirth in our unity, our oneness and our shared developmental aspiration” he said.
In his remarks, Wike said when the state government flagged off the Rebisi, Okoro-Nu-Odu and Rumuogba flyovers simultaneously in October 2019, many sceptics questioned the possibility of the completing the projects within the estimated timeframe of 16 months.
Read Also: N6.26 trillion needed to complete ongoing road projects, Fashola tells Reps
He explained that the contractor, Julius Berger, worked assiduously, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, just to ensure that the projects were delivered on time.
“By December, we have to commission Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover. By February, we have to commission Rumuogba and Rumuola; by March-April, we will commission the GRA flyover”, he said.
Wike expressed satisfaction that his administration was able to fulfil the promise of constructing five flyovers with one of them achieved in 12 months.
The governor said the flyover bridge by CFC/Corpus Christi bus stop would be expanded to make it the sixth flyovers project under construction in the state.
The governor, who noted the leadership role played by Fashola in the assessment of the application for refund of money spent on federal projects, appealed that the money spent on the new flyover projects should be considered for a refund.
The governor frown on the refusal of traders to obey government’s directive not to display their wares along the roads said he would sign an executive order to discourage the practice.
He said any landlord, who allowed traders to displays wares for sales in front on their buildings after the order would forfeit them to government because they would be acquired for public use.
Rivers Commissioner for Works , Mr. Eloka Tasie-Amadi said when the Rebisi Flyover Bridge was flagged off on the 24 October 2019 and was to be delivered in 16 months but it was achieved within 12 months.
He said the project improved the aesthetics of the city, enhance traffic flow, relief transport time, eradicate traffic conflict at the junction and reduce vehicular damage that bad roads cause.
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