Cultism ; Female Secondary School student stabs classmate for refusing membership

A female cult member, Josephine, has stabbed Miss Lilian Friday, her classmate, in the right eye for refusal to join her secret cult group.

The incident took place Friday in Otuoke, Bayelsa.

Josephine and the victim are both in Senior Secondary -1 students at Community Secondary School, Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

Josephine had reportedly been mounting pressure and persuading her friend who she stabbed to join her cult group, which she declined persistently.

HIV prevalence drops to 3.8% in Bayelsa – Commissioner

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Bayelsa has dropped from 9.1 per cent in 2010 to 3.8 per cent in 2016, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimi Etebu, has said.

He said this on Thursday in Yenagoa while speaking at a programme to end a two-year project for the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS, sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL).

Etebu attributed the decline to sustained partnership between the state government and donor agencies as well as improved funding of the Bayelsa Action Committee on AIDS.

Bayelsa to fund Students Loans from IGR

The Bayelsa government says it will use a yet to be determined portion of its internally generated revenue to fund the newly established Students Tertiary Education Loan Board.

  

Gov Seriake Dickson on Tuesday signed into law, the Bill establishing the Bayelsa State Students Tertiary Education Loan Board.

Dickson said shortly after signing the bill that the board specially designed to provide unfettered access to tertiary education in the state would be inaugurated in the next two weeks.

Ongoing Public Service Reforms will professionalise Govt media – Commissioner

The Bayelsa  government on Tuesday said that the  on-going civil service reforms in the state owned media outfits is to promote professionalism and ensure effective service delivery.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson stated this while receiving the report of the Bayelsa State Media Corporation Committee in his office at the Information House  Yenago.

Iworiso-Markson explained that the state government was desirous of evolving a media corporation that could withstand the changing trends in the media industry and dictate the pace for others.

Bayelsa Govt assures of availability of potable water in June

The Bayelsa government says, the people of the state would have access to potable drinking water in June 2018.

Addressing reporters on the outcome of the state Executive Council meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson disclosed that plans have been concluded to inaugurated several projects.

He said that the decision was part of the resolutions reached by the State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Government House, Yenagoa.

Dickson orders release of withheld salaries of 3,403 ‘excess workers’ affected by reforms

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Wednesday directed that salaries of 3,403 workers affected by the ongoing public service reforms be released to them immediately.

Dickson, who gave the directive during a live radio programme broadcast, said that salaries of the workers earlier withheld should be paid pending conclusion of the reforms.

The Head of Service of Bayelsa, Rev Thomas Zidafomo directed that salaries of 222 staff of Bayelsa owned media houses and 3,181 non teaching staff in the State Universal Basis Education Board (SUBEB) be suspended.

Zidafomo in a letter dated Apri 6, 2018 directed that the withheld salaries of the affected workers listed as ‘excess workers’ be remitted to the Accountant General of Bayelsa.

Third Phase Ex militants allege marginalization by Amnesty Office

Ex-agitators who embraced the Federal Government Amnesty Programme in 2011, under the third phase have  alleged marginalization and appealed to federal government to fast track their training and reintegration.

Coordinator of the group Cairo Esenatebe who made the appeal on Sunday in Yenagoa noted that the programme for the group was behind schedule.

He said that the third phase beneficiaries have not been paid their monthly allowance for three months.

Esenatebe explained that there was a wide disparity between the progress made by the third phase beneficiaries and others under the amnesty programme, adding that the delay has dampened morale amongst the youths.

He appealed to the newly appointed Head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Prof.  Dokubo to immediately correct the anomaly and bring the third phase at par with other phases.

London based New African names Kachikwu amongst 100 most influential Afrcans in 2017

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has been named by the New African, a London-based magazine, as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2017 in the category of Business and Finance.

In a letter signed by Mr. Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher and Managing Director, congratulating Dr. Kachikwu, the magazine said that their organisation is ''dedicated to changing the African narrative and fighting for its interests, and hope to continue on this journey alongside people engaged in transformational roles across the continent such as your goodself''.

Bayelsa Govt says ongoing reforms is to save Public Service from collapse

The Bayelsa government on Friday said that ongoing public service reforms was to save the civil service from imminent collapse due to unwieldy wage bill of about N4 bn monthly.

Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson Commissioner for Information said on Friday in Yenagoa that the reforms were in overall public interest.

Bayelsa government commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and directed removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper in what it called ‘redeployment’.

According to a letter dated Apri 6, 2018 signed by Zidafomo, addressed to General Manager of Bayelsa Newspaper Corporation, Publishers of New Waves Newspapers and Radio Bayelsa 222 workers were listed as ‘excess workers.

Iworiso-Markson who spoke against the backdrop of concerns by the affected staff and labour leaders, allayed fears that they have been sacked adding that they would be trained deployed to areas of need.

According to him, those found unsuitable in the public service would be eased out with financial assistance to start off their businesses.

It was gathered that a committee set up by Gov Seriake Dickson on staffing and Funding of MDAs had compiled the list of surplus staff which is being released in batches.

The letter directed the management of the two media outlets to withhold and remit the April salaries of affected workers to a special account at the Office of the Accountant General of the State.

The Commissioner explained that the decision to redeploy personnel in the public  service identified to be redundant by their supervisors to other agencies was in their best interest and that of the public.

Iworiso-Markson noted that as painful as the government's action was, the welfare of those affected has been taken into consideration as the government was sensitive to the feeling of the people.

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He said that the government had embarked on a painstaking process of implementing the reforms with a view to pursuing it to a logical conclusion.

He explained that  the government was resolute in its decision to redeploy the affected workers, because it would be inimical to the interest of the state to sustain a process that would clog its development.

He said that for instance, the state-owned Radio Station had over 300 personnel, while its private radio stations operate effectively with less than 12 personnel.

According to him, it was the decision of the government to screen, train and redeploy workers with specialization in education to schools since the state was in need of teachers.

While calling for more understanding, the Information Commissioner disclosed that the reforms have thrown up some discoveries which includes over 8,000 inherited appointments.

Iworiso-Markson explained that some family members of deceased civil servants inherited their positions while irregular appointments, arbitrary promotion and impersonations has led to the over bloated wage bill which the government is gradually reducing.  

The Commissioner explained that the withed salaries of those pencilled out as excess staff would be released to them as soon as their redeployment is concluded.

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 “The exercise itself is still ongoing and the entire public service is aware. You must note that the names of the people listed for redeployment are those submitted as redundant workers by the general managers and supervisors.  

"The general managers of the affected MDAs were given the responsibility to fish out redundant personnel many  of who  were employed under questionable circumstances.

“So Government is saying that this is not sustainable. The onus is on government to bring them in, check their qualifications and redeploy them to appropriate agencies.

“Anybody with B. ED for instance, would go to the teachers training institute, trained and redeployed. Government would use these people to teach,” Iworiso-Markson.

He also decried the selling of appointment slots for N250,000 and other employment racketeering which is more rife in local councils and parastatals and vowed that the government would no loger condone same.  

Anxiety amongst Civil Servants as Bayelsa Govt withholds salaries of 222 media workers

Civil servants in Bayelsa have expressed concerns over imminent job losses in the ongoing civil service reforms despite assurances from government that the exercise would boost staff welfare.

The anxiety amongst workers follows a written directive from the Head of Service in Bayelsa , Rev Thomas Zidafomo to Heads of Ministries Department and Agencies to suspend salaries of staff considered ‘excess’.

Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and directed removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper.

According to a letter dated Apri 6, 2018 signed by Zidafomo, addressed to General Manager of Bayelsa Newspaper Corporation, Publishers of New Waves Newspapers and Radio Bayelsa 222 workers were listed as ‘excess workers.

It was gathered that a committee set up by Gov Seriake Dickson on staffing and Funding of MDAs had compiled the list of surplus staff which is being released in batches.

The letter directed the management of the two media outlets to withhold and remit the April salaries of affected workers to a special account at the Office of the Accountant General of the State.

The mood amongst workers at the Bayelsa State Secretariat on Wednesday was gloomy and tense as workers discussed the development in low tones in small groups.  

Although most of the civil servants were reluctant to make comments on the policy for fear of victimization some of the affected workers faulted the process adopted by the state government.

“Reforms is part of organizational objectives and often affects people, some positively and some negatively, new jobs are created while there may be inevitable job losses.

“What makes this one suspicious is the issue of retrenchment before giving employers the chance the justify their expertise.

“I am a reporter and my name was listed and I was asked to meet a committee to prove my professional competence for redeployment when my name has been expunged from the payroll, is that not a sack ?

“The labour ethics gives the employer the right to hire and fire so if they must fire us, why not do it procedurally which will take care of end of service benefits rather than this approach ?” an affected staff said.

Another Civil Servant said that explanations that the exercise wasa mere redeployment of staff from areas of surplus to areas of need was necessary for overall efficiency of the service but said that withholding salaries was strange.

“The reorganization should be in a systematic way in line with civil service rules and redeployment and transfers in cases where the employee needs to move attracts allowances not stopping of salaries,” said a civil servant.

Mr Tari Dounana, Chairman , Bayelsa chapter of Trade Union Congress said that the labour movement in the state was worried about the suspension of workers’ salaries.

“We are following the developments with keen nterest on the impact of the reforms on the workforce and it should be done in line with labour guidelines, the redeployment of workers does not have to involve stopping salaries.

“We are looking at the issue with a view to making a statement on the exercise,” Dounana said.  

The Baylesa government said the ongoing public service reforms in the state was to eliminate endemic employment racketeering and pay roll fraud in its public sector.

Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd) had assured the workers that they would not be thrown into the labour market adding that the exercise would only affect those involved in employment fraud, redundancy and truancy. 

It will be recalled that Bayelsa government had on November 7,2017 announced that it withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4,202 civil servants suspected to be involved in irregularities.

Bayelsa Govt to withhold April salaries of 222 of its media workers

Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and directed removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper..

According to a letter signed by Rev Thomas Zidafomo, Head of Service, Bayelsa addressed to General Manager of Bayelsa Newspaper Corporation, the exercise is part of ongoing public service reforms.

The letter directed the management of the two media outlets to withhold and remit the April salaries of affected workers to a special account at the Office of the Accountant General of the State.

The list showed that 86 staff of New Waves Newspaper and 136 workers from the Radio Bayelsa were affected from the list so far released while employees of the state television station remain apprehensive.

The letter stated that the directive was sequel to the setting up a committee by Gov Seriake Dickson on staffing and funding of government establishments identified as over staffed.

“The Governor set up a committee to formulate an overall policy on staffing and funding of these parastatals in the state.

“Based on the recommendation of that committee, the government has directed that excess staff be depoyed away from these parastatals with effect from April 2018.

“You are directed to notify the affected staff of this decision and deposit their monthly salaries in the State Unpaid Salary Account at the Office of Accountant-General commencing with April 2018.

“The affected staff should be advised to present themselves to the Committee on Screening of Staff to verify their area of professional competence for deployment exercise,” the Head of Service stated.

The Baylesa government said the ongoing public service reforms in the state was to eliminate endemic employment racketeering and pay roll fraud in its public sector.

Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd) had assured the workers that they would not be thrown into the labour market adding that the exercise would only affect those involved in employment fraud, redundancy and truancy. 

It will be recalled that Bayelsa government had on November 7,2017 announced that it withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4,202 civil servants suspected to be involved in irregularities.

Bayelsa sacks of 222 media workers in Bayelsa Govt media as NUJ kicks against lay off

Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce with the sack of some 222 staff from its radion station and newspaper while compilation of sack list is in progress

The Bayelsa Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday condemned the sack of 222 media workers in the Bayelsa government owned media platforms.

The list showed that 86 staff of New Waves Newspaper and 136 workers from the Radio Bayelsa were affected from the list s far released while staff of the state television station remain apprehensive.

A statement from the NUJ urged the state government to review its decision to sack over 200 media workers in one fell swoop in the guise of redeployment while the axe dangles on others.

This is sequel to a circular from the office of the Head of Service to heads of media parastatal to redeploy excess staff.

The statement signed  by the Bayelsa NUJ Chairman Mr. John Angese and Secretary Mr. Stanley Imgbi noted that the unions and labour leaders in the state and affected establishment were not privy to the exercise

The NUJ argued that the parameter for determining the desired staff strength was not specified and shrouded in secrecy adding that the best hands have been affected in the exercise that jettisoned competence.

According to the statement the output of the media houses would nose dive as professionalism and competence were not factored in while compiling the list.

The union maintained that the directive to stop salaries of the affected workers from the April 2018 voucher was in breach of civil service rule and breached the labour laws.

 It said that seizure of the salaries of the affected staff and holding it in unpaid salary account in the state treasury clearly shows that the exercise is not redeployment as presented by government.

The union leaders urged government to review the decision due to the economic implication on the affected workers as most of who are bread winners of their family and the overall implication on the society.

The statement further urged members to remain calm while an emergency congress will be called to review the strategy of the union on the matter.

The Baylesa government said the ongoing public service reforms in the state was to eliminate endemic employment racketeering and pay roll fraud in its public sector.

Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd) assured the workers that they would not be thrown into the labour market adding that the exercise would only affect those involved in employment fraud, redundancy and truancy. 

It will be recalled that Bayelsa government had on November 7,2017 announced that it withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4,202 civil servants suspected to be involved in irregularities.

Ohanaeze Youth Wing lacks powers to discipline its parent body –Youth Leader

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youth wing in South South says the youth arm of Ohanaeze Ndigbo had no disciplinary powers over its parent body.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in reaction to a seven day ultimatum purportedly issued to President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and subsequent suspension by the youth wing of the group.

The youth leader noted that it was traditionally wrong and out of sync with the constitution of Ohanaeze for the youths to discipline and sanction his parents adding that the action was an aberration and an abomination.

According to him, under the constitution of the group, the youth and women wing of Ohanaeze are under the control of Imeobi, the highest organ of the organisation which had dissolved the youth leadership preparatory to elections..

He said that there was no truth in the reports that the youth wing has suspended the President-General adding that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is working to mobilise and sensitise Nigerians to support restructuring.

The Ohanaeze youth leader regretted that the patriotic task undertaken by the leadership of the group was being misunderstood as meddling into politics.

Arthur-Ugwa observed that the leadership of Onanaeze Ndigbo was united and committed to repositioning Igbos amongst other ethnic groups in a restructured Nigeria.

He dismissed comments credited to former members of Ohaneze youth Wing who claimed to be National leaders of the youth body claiming that President General of Ohanaeze was meddling into politics.

Arthur-Ugwa described the claim as baseless and false adding that those behind the allegations were bent of creating crisis where there is none.

He noted that the youth leaders who paraded themselves as National leaders of the youth wing of Ohanaeze were misleading the public.

“We were surprised that some defunct members of Ohanaeze Youth Wing issued a statement accusing the President General of meddling into 2019 Presidential elections.

“To state the facts, the allegations are fabricated by expelled members of the youth group at the national level to attract public sympathy; there is no truth in the allegation.

“The President-General has been working at uniting Igbos all over the world and recently was in Bayelsa as part of his efforts in restructuring and repositioning Ndigbo in a restructured federation..

“Nwodo also waded into leadership crisis in Ohaneze Ndigbo Bayelsa chapter, is this what they call politics?.

“The President-General categorically said that he was not interested in personal gains from the struggle for restructuring, so the allegation is a mere ploy by disgruntled persons parading themselves as Ohanaeze youth leaders.

“The National Executives of Ohanaeze Youth Wing was dissolved by Ime-Obi  and National Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2017 and we are getting set for elections later this month, so they are misleading the people.

“The leadership at the state levels in the South East and South South condemn and dissociate ourselves from the statement and frown at the disrespect to our revered elders and leaders in Ohanaeze Ndigbo,our parent body.

“We urge the errant youths to refrain from using the media to discredit the organisation and show commitment towards building of a united front for Ndigbo,” Arthur-Ugwa said.   

Police kill armed robbery suspect in operation in Bayelsa

The  Police in Bayelsa on Sunday foiled robbery incident while one of the three armed robbery suspects died in a gun duel following a distress call from Azikoro area of Yenagoa.

Asinim Butwat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police and Spokesman for Bayelsa command who confirmed the development, said that a locally made pistol was recovered during the operation which took place on Sunday.

He attributed the feat to a security measure code-named 'Operation Safer Bayelsa' introduced recently by the commissioner of Police Don Anwunna to confront frontally violent crimes in the state. 

“On 8 April, 2018, at about 0200hrs, the Command control room alerted the Azikoro Divisional Police Anti-Robbery Team, that armed robbers were operating behind Azikoro Health Care Centre, Yenagoa. 

“The team responded swiftly and met about three daredevil armed robbers on the spot, the robbers engaged the Police in a gun duel, police exchanged fire and gunned down one of the robbers and injured another. 

“The team recovered one locally made cut-to-size gun, two live cartridges, eight mobile phones some jewelleries and some cash.

“Victims of the robbery attacked in the robbery operation have identified their phones among those recovered from the suspects.

“One of the suspects identified as Selepamodei Ogili 'm' 23 years,  a Jailbird has died as a result.

“The other suspect one Kimipanipre P. Franklin AKA Castro 'm' 22 years, a final year Political Science Student of Niger Delta University (NDU), was fatally wounded.

“The suspect confessed that they are members of Bobos cult group, the third suspect is at large and effort has been intensified to arrest him,” Butswat said.

The Police Spokesman also explained that further Investigation has led to arrest of one Favour Wisdom 'f' 16 the girl friend of the deceased suspect who is allegedly keeping arms for the gang.

Butswat urged members of the public to sustain partnership with the Police by providing useful information to ensure a safer Bayelsa.

Ohanaeze is mobilising Nigerians on gains of restructuring –Youth Leader

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youth wing  in South South says the socio-cultural group is working to mobilise and sensitise Nigerians to support restructuring.

The Ohanaeze youth leader regretted that the patriotic task undertaken by the leadership of the group was being misunderstood as meddling into politics.

Arthur-Ugwa said on Sunday that reports that the leadership of Onanaeze Ndigbo was united and committed to repositioning Igbos amongst other ethnic groups in a restructured Nigeria.

He dismissed comments credited to former members of Ohaneze youth Wing who claimed to be National leaders of the youth body claiming that President General of Ohanaeze was meddling into politics.

Bayelsa owes N129.46 bn domestic debt – National Bureau of Statistics

Bayelsa government generated a total of N12.52 bn from internal sources in 2017 fiscal year while its domestic debt stock stands at N129.46 bn.

According to data obtained from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) website, the state got N105.25 bn from the federation account in 2017.

According o the report issued in March 2018 Lagos generated the highest revenue from internal sources amounting to N333.96 bn in 2017 as against N302.42 in 2016 while Rivers generated a total of N89.48 in 2017 as against N85.28 in 2016.

Ohanaeze Youth Wing condemns comments against Nwodo

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AT THE INAUGURATION OF BAYELSA CHAPTER OF OHANAEZE YOUTH WING IN YENAGOA

The leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in South South on Tuesday dismissed comments credited to some members of the group who claimed to be National leaders of the youth body.

Reacting to allegations that President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo was meddling into politics, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze in South South described the claim as baseless and false.

He noted that the youth leaders who paraded themselves as National leaders of the youth wing of Ohanaeze were misleading the public.