Environmentalists seek joint investigation of fire incident at Conoil fields in Bayelsa

Environmental Rights Action/Friends of Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called for a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to ascertain the cause of a fire incident at Conoil’s field at Koluama, Bayelsa on May 26.

The fire which started on Saturday morning engulfed an oil rig owned by Depthwize Nigeria an oil services firm working at the oil block operated by Conoil. .

The 232 feet rig named Majestic  located at the Atlantic coastline, Koluama community in Southern Ijaw  Local Government Area of Bayelsa has capacity for 120 men.

 ERA/FoEN, made the call in its field report on the fire incident signed by Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at the Non Government Organisation (NGO).

We are in dialogue with IPOB to embrace peaceful methods of engagement –Ohanaeze Youth Wing

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in South South says the group was persuading Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to adopt peaceful means and embrace dialogue.

Arthur-Ugwa who spoke in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Yenagoa said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership was worried about the stigma resulting from the activities of IPOB.

According to the youth leader, IPOB had attempted to disrupt the may 21 rally on restructuring organised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Awka despite pledges made by IPOB when Ohanaeze youth leadership met IPOB before the rally.

Military confirms fire incident at Conoil fields in Bayelsa

THE RIG MAJESTIC

The Joint military force deployed to protect oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta has confirmed a fire incident at an oilfield operated by Conoil in Koluama Southern Ijaw Local Government in Bayelsa.

The fire which started on Saturday morning engulfed an oil rig owned by Depthwize Nigeria an oil services firm working at the oil block operated by Conoil. .

The rig is located within Nigerian territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off Koluama community in Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa.

Environmental rights group trains volunteers, oil community, media on reporting pollution

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) at the weekend conducted a one-day training on environmental field monitoring and reporting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa .

Participants at the seminar included media and oil-producing communities' representatives and environmental rights activists.

They were drawn from Delta,  Bayelsa and Rivers..

JOHESU Strike : We are not seeking pay parity with Doctors-- Health workers

A cross section of medical professionals who belong to the Joint Health Sector Unions have faulted the erroneous impression created by Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and described it as a blackmail.

Some of the health workers, including Pharmacists, Nurses, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Physitherapists said that the ongoing strike doesnot have anything to do with rivalry with doctors but about abject neglect of welfare of their members.

Ihuoma Jeffry, a health worker at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa said that there was a wide gap between the pay of medical doctors and other healthcare professionals in the sector and they wanted the gap to be narrowed.

Boro’s 50th Memorial: Ohanaze youths back Ijaw youths on restructuring

Ohanaeze Youth Wing on Friday expressed solidarity with Ijaw youths in the ongoing activities to commemorate the 50^th memorial of late Ijaw icon Jasper Boro and call for restructuring the federation.

Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youth Wing in South South newsmen  in Yenagoa that the group had enjoyed a harmonious relationship with Ijaw people in Niger Delta.

He said that Ohanaeze youths were participating in the week long activities including  processions, public lectures exhibitions lined up for the 50^th anniversary of Boro’s demise.

Group backs ongoing public service reforms in Bayelsa

A political support group, the Bayelsa Restoration Caucus (BRC)  has endorsed ongoing public service reforms and dismissed pockets of protests against job losses in the reforms as ill advised and diversionary.

Workers affected by the reforms mostly non-academic staff of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, had on Tuesday protested their disengagement from the university.

The casket-bearing protesters had carried a mock coffin  during the demonstration which locked down Amassoma - the university town.

The BRC, in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Saturday and signed by Chief Francis Doukpola condemned the protest  and urged the government to carry the reforms to its logical conclusion.