Okowa urges FG to concession proposed tollgates to companies with capacity for maintaining roads

As Federal Government mulls the re-introduction of toll gates on highways, Delta Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, says the projects should be given to credible companies that will utilize the funds for regular maintenance of the roads.

He made the call on Tuesday in Asaba at the quarterly media briefing.

The governor said that roads were failing across the country and that the Federal Government was overwhelmed.

He pointed out that the nation’s economy was going down ``and with competing needs, there is need to provide for toll gates in functioning roads.

“They should concession these roads to competent companies and the money made should be ploughed back to continue the maintenance of the roads where the toll gates are located.

“It is far cheaper to pay for tolls on good roads than spend money on maintenance of your cars, with the attendant delays and inconveniences as a result of bad roads.

“We would have preferred that Federal Government either repaired the roads or made refunds when states reconstruct the roads, because most of the roads have started to fail, more so, when bigger heavy duty vehicles are on roads not envisaged during design and construction.”

He also disclosed that his administration was giving a boost to tourism, saying “there are things that we need to do to encourage the people to improve on activities that will make families more comfortable.

``So, we are looking forward to building a Pleasure Park which will be on the Ugbolu-Asaba road, and we are also putting up a film village to encourage our budding artistes as Asaba has become the hub for movie locations.

“The new Secretariat Complex we are building in Asaba is coming on strong; I am very satisfied with the level of work being carried out and it is one of the biggest secretariats in the country.

``We thank God that at the end, we will have a reasonable accommodation for our workers.

“As it concerns the storm drainage project, we have continued with it in a more limited way due to the rains; I know that due to the construction of the current storm drainage in Asaba that flood has been contained.

``It is scary when I see the volume of water that the drainage systems are collecting currently and I am grateful that the designs executed for these drainages are effective, no matter how big the designs were.

“Before the end of the year, we shall commence with two critical phases in the Warri/Uvwie Storm Drain projects.”

My deal with kidnappers -Cleric

An Islamic cleric identified as Salisu Abubakar has given details to the police on the role he played in encouraging activities of suspected kidnappers in some northern parts of Nigeria.

The acting Inspector General of Police, Yakubu Abubakar and other service chiefs have been under pressure following the rise in cases of kidnap along Abuja-Kaduna expressway. Several strategic raids of suspected hideouts led to the arrest of suspected kidnappers and their accomplices. One of such persons is Salisu who was arrested by operatives attached to the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team, a move that has led to the arrest of several suspects.

According to police source, police acted based on intelligence report generated by the Technical Intelligence Unit(TUI) on April 4, about the activities of alleged spiritual adviser of the suspected kidnappers in the North especially Kaduna axis. On April 16, after serious and unrelenting follow up, operatives of IRT succeeded in arresting Salisu Abubakar, inside a bus in Galadimawa village, Kaduna state.

Salisu aged 48, who is a native of Dutsinma in Kastina state confessed to the police that he is their spiritual adviser. He disclosed that most of his clients operate along Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Niger and Kastina states axis. While the interrogation lasted, Salisu had to pause severally to receive calls from them.

My job is to pray

Responding to questions, Salisu insisted that his only job is to advise the suspected kidnappers when and where to attack. “I was an honest cleric before those bad men took over our community and some of us for fear that they will kill us, decided to work for them.

“I am happily married to four wives and God blessed me with 15 children. My father is from Kastina state but relocated to Kaduna because he acquired a massive land for farming. He was also very spiritual that was why he sent me to Arabic school.  I also learnt how to cultivate Maize and Guinea corn. Luckily when I was at the Arabic school, I got the gift of vision and healing.

“I started practicing and also farming because then we made a lot of money through farming. About 10 years ago, kidnapping and cattle rustling increased. It was no longer safe to be seen as a successful farmer. If they do not kidnap you they will wait till the day you harvest your crop and attack.  For a man with so many children, I needed to train my children, so I decided to start using my gift to make extra money. I started about eight years ago, to pray for people and in exchange they will pay a certain fee. Go to our community and ask about me. We rarely go the hospital. I guess it was my popularity that brought them to my shrine. Three years ago, they kidnapped me and told me that they are not interested in money but my powers. They forced me to pray and advise them for one operation and I did. They were very successful and happy. The next day I was released but with the condition that I will be working for them. They threatened to wipe out my entire family if I fail to co-operate with them.”

On the payroll of 15 gangs

According to Salisu, more than 15 different criminal gangs consult him on a monthly basis and he has never failed them. “They trust my work so much because for the past three years that I started praying for them, none has failed to succeed in any operation they set out to do. I became so popular because they normally share the good news with others. They come looking for me from different parts of the country especially the north. I do not ask for anything much but the cost of procuring the things needed for prayers. It is left for them to decide to give me anything extra.

“I have tried my best to stop them but whenever they come to my shrine, they are armed. I thought of running away from the community but I was shocked when one of them traced me to Kaduna town. I feel safe working for them and for the past three years, they have not harassed me or any member of my family.”

He also alleged that most of his clients were from Zamfara and Kastina state. “Most of them relocated from Zamfara with their families because there are so many criminals in Madugu village close to Galadinmawa in Kaduna state. The true indigenes have all left the village and about 30 percent are left. For you to be allowed to stay, you need to co-operate with them. All the elders that are left are loyal to them. That place is a might forest and there are so many armed residents; police or army dare not enter the area, they will be killed and buried.”

Invasion of Zamfara communities

On why they did not alert security agents when they noticed the sudden influx of strange faces, Salisu said that they reported to the nearest police station but they did not attend to them. “Initially, they started by rustling cows and harvesting our crops. We the elders reported the matter to the nearest police and they did nothing about it. In fact, the policeman on duty asked us to form our own vigilante and fight crime. How can you fight people with bare hands? 

Those criminals will attack and go back to their state. Gradually they started relocating to the community with their families. I also gradually moved some of my wives and their children to Kaduna town because, you cannot predict what those killers can do when they are angry.”

With his so-called spiritual powers, Salisu was asked why he could not detect that policemen were about to arrest him. “I did not commit any crime; all I did was to advise them through prayers.  If I knew that police will ever come after me, I would have disappeared. It is my job to pray, I should not be held responsible if the people I prayed for used my suggestion to commit crime.”

Offer to help

On the way forward, Salisu volunteered to assist the police to arrest most the criminals. “You can see that they are still calling to seek for my spiritual consent before they can go out. I can help them out. All they need do is to allow me to go home and pray. Then I will give them the list of things to buy which will not be more than N50, 000. After two days of prayer, Allah will show me their location and also advise when to strike and be very successful. It was when I got to the station that I realized the number of people they kidnapped and that they even killed some of them. I am sorry that I was not bold enough to come forward these past three years. If the police will assure me and my family that we will be safe, I am ready to help them arrest all of them.”

NBA demands cancellation of Delta judges’ selection

The Nigerian Bar Association has called  for  the cancellation of the  appointment process of  five High Court judges for Delta State.

The appointment  process was condemned by both the Warri branch and the national leadership of the NBA, alleging that it was characterised by violation of the National Judicial Council’s guidelines for the appointment of judges.

They described as “a sham” the screening of applicants by the state Judicial Service Committee.

 The state Judicial Service Committee is chaired by Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro, with the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in the state, Justice S.O.N. Oghene,  the Vice-Chairman.

By law, the JSC conducts the preliminary stage of the appointment process before  the list of  shortlisted candidates  is sent  the NJC for the final selection process.

The NBA alleged that the process  through  which the names of the five shortlisted candidates, along with the names of five potential substitutes, emerged from was flawed and lacking in transparency.

The association said list allegedly  included the names of blood relations of both Umukoro  and Oghene.

The PUNCH on Monday obtained copies of  the petitions  sent  by the  Warri branch of the NBA to both the state JSC  and the NJC,  calling for the cancellation of the process.

The Warri branch of  the NBA, through one of the petitions signed by its Chairman, Michael Asugo, and the Secretary, John Aruoture, and sent to the Chairman of the NJC, who doubles as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, called on the NJC “to suspend the process of appointment of judges in Delta State and cause an investigation  to be carried out to confirm if the clear procedure for appointment as contained in the NJC guidelines were adhered to”.

The branch said in its petition dated and received by the CJN on September 17, “It is very clear that the exercise which threw up these names cannot  be said to be transparent  and based on merit.

“In our candid view, it is riddled with favouritism and nepotism and this is not acceptable to the branch.

“We know that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the JSC did not step down from the committee in order to present a semblance of fairness and transparency.

“They rather presided  over all meetings of the JSC where all the decisions concerning the appointment of these persons as judges were taken which is a clear conflict of interests.”

The  national leadership of the NBA, through its National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Edun, demanded adherence to the NJC’s outlined procedure for  the appointment of judges.

Edun said, “A competent, courageous and fearless judiciary is very important for Nigeria to attain its developmental goals.

“This will require that the recruitment process into the judiciary should be open and transparent with a view to ensuring that we get the best hands devoid of political colorations.

“The  NBA demands that the procedures set out by the NJC regarding the procedure for recruiting judicial officers be adhered to.”

The  Chairman of the NBA branch in Warri, Asugo, on Monday restated his branch’s position contained in its petitions.

 He said the body  was  out  to stop the practice of appointing  judges because they were related to top judicial officers in the state.

Why I dumped my baby inside gutter - Woman confesses

A yet-to-identified  woman has dumped her newborn baby inside the gutter along McDermott Road in Igbudu, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The woman said she dumped the baby inside the gutter because she was not ready to have children.

She stressed that she does not know who impregnated her....

The matter came to public domain when residents of McDermott Road discovered the already dead remains of the baby and brought it out of the gutter.

The Community’s leadership promptly handed over the mother of the baby, an Hausa lady to the police for interrogation.


The Police authority in “A” Division refused to disclose the name of the woman.

There are suspicions that the yet-to-be identified lady may have killed the baby after she gave birth to him.

When contacted, the Delta State Commmssioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke in telephone chat with our correspondent said, “we are trying to find out. They didn’t allow the matter get to the Police. We are trying to hear from people who witnessed it.”

Police arrest two with woman’s skull in Ogun

The Police have arrested two persons –  Emmanuel Aro (25) and Anu Olofinju  (25) with a human skull along ijoun road in Eggua area of Ogun state.

Emmanuel and Anu were arrested on Friday following a complaint by one Amoo Bankole who reported at the Eggua Police Station that the suspects were sighted digging at a cemetery where his mother was buried few months ago.

Amoo told the Police that with the digging of his mother’s grave, he believed the suspects were up to something evil.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who made this known on Sunday in a release, stated that based on the complaint of Amoo,  the Divisional Police Officer for  Eggua division,  Kehinde Oyekangun,  mobilized detectives  to the scene but met the suspects along the road.

Abimbola, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP), added that the detectives accosted them and upon searching their bag,  the skull of a woman was discovered inside.

According to the Police Spokesman, the complainant had identified the skull as that of his late and buried mother.

Abimbola explained that when interrogated, the suspects confessed to the commission of the crime, admitting that they intended to use the skull for money making ritual.

The Commissioner of Police; Bashir Makama, has given s directive that the the suspects should be transferred to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation.

Flood: Omo-Agege expresses concern over plight of IDPs in Delta

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has expressed deep concerns on the Plight of Internally Displaced Persons who were affected by the ravaging floods in Delta State, saying he will do everything possible to assist them with relief materials.

Senator Omo-Agege who made the promise at the weekend when he visited Ogbeafor IDP camp in Asaba, expressed delight on the orderliness of the Displaced Persons and the officials of the Delta State Emergency Management Agency SEMA, for coordinating the camp.

Princess Modupe Ozolua, Senior Special Assistance to the Deputy Senate President, on Non-governmental Organisations and Civil Society Organisations, represented the DSP at the IDPs camp and said she was in the camp to see what is going on regarding the welfare of internally displaced persons.

“I know there are many challenges at the camps because when you have people from different communities staying together in one camp, there will be challenges. I need to know the numbers of people here, their living conditions so that i can properly brief the DSP.

“This fact finding visit is to enable us bring stakeholders together for adequate support for the IDP.



Senator Omo-Agege cares much about the Plight of IDPs and he will do everything possible to assist you here in camp and to enable you resettle when the floods recede,” she assured them.

The Ogbeafor Camp Commandant, Mr. Okpor Daniel said it was a good thing to receive the team from the Deputy Senate President, adding that there are six communities totalling 1,200 IDPs in the camp.

According to him; “The state government provides all the logistics in the camp and they cannot do it alone hence the need for assistance from well meaning individuals, corporate bodies, NGOs, civil societies and religious bodies.

“We need food items, clothes, drugs, cooking utensils, toiletries, provisions, mattresses and everything that human being needs to live,” Okpor said, even as he assured that adequate attention has been paid to IDPs in terms of the education of the children, as they run the normal academic calendar like their counterparts in various schools across the state.

Two IDPs, Mr. Precious Ogboogu Ikedi from Oko Odifu and Miss Favour Look from Power line communities respectively, said they were comfortable at the camp even as they anticipated their quick return to their communities.



While commending the state government for its assistance, Ogboogu expressed happiness on the interest of the Deputy Senate President in ameliorating their flights.

He equally appealed to spirited individuals, corporate bodies, agencies of government, NGOs, CSO, churches to come their aides, saying after the camp live they will needs assistance to enable them return to their various communities to start up life again.

Also in an interactive session with the DSP team, the Director General of the State Emergency Management Agency SEMA, Mr. Karo Ovemeso said the agency has opened the 12th IDP camps in the state while there are four camps already in Asaba with 4000 IDPs in the camps as the numbers of IDPs keep increasing on daily basis.

He explained that each of the four camps in Asaba eat five bags of rice at a meal even as he appealed for assistance from various stakeholders.

He however called on the Federal Government to build more dams in the country to be able to evacuate the volume of floods being experienced annually.

Meet Nigerian lady contesting to become Spain Prime Minister

A Nigerian woman, Helen Mukoro Idisi, has contested to be prime minster Spain twice in the country's general election.

This year's attempt will be her second time contesting to be a prime minister as she was a presidential candidate under a party she formed in December 2014, Union de Todos. She was a prime minister candidate at the June 26, 2016, and April 28, 2019, general elections. In May 2015, Idisi contested for the seat of Mayor of Denia, Alicante.

Idisi was born on December 26, 1969, in Warri local government area of Delta state but grew up in Benin City in Edo. She attended St Ita's College, Sapele between 1977–1981, Bendel State College of Agriculture, Anwai, Asaba where she obtained a diploma in agriculture in June 1987.

Idisi studied law in 2008 at the National University of Distance Education in Spain.

The journalist and legal consultant became was granted citizenship by the Spanish government in 2013. She proceeded to Universidad Católica Santo Domingo and obtained a postgraduate certificate as a legal expert 'Experto en Perito Judicial' in 2010. She later went to Assam Don Bosco University and got a BSc business administration in June 2016.

The Spanish-Nigerian lady did not stop there as she proceeded to the London School of Journalism and attained a diploma in journalism and newswriting in 2016.

In 2013, Idisi was made the president of the African Europe Chamber of Commerce and president of Union de Todos 'political party' in 2014. She is the author of many books.

Aside from politics, Idisi is a Spanish detective, politician, journalist, legal expert, business and finance consultant, an author. She is the president of the African Europe Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of large and small corporations, non-profit associations.

She currently serves as president of the president of Spanish National Committee for United Nations Women.

‘How we were tricked, trafficked to Burkina Faso and sold as slaves’

Traffickers are on the prowl and always tricking many into slavery in a well-coordinated ring.

Usman Suleiman was among the 30 persons that were lured with a job offer in Sokoto only to find himself in Gaoua town, about 150 kilometres from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.

“It was as if we were under a spell. No one could talk nor complained. We were just following orders and directives, right from here in Katsina to Lagos and Benin Republic before Gaoua town in Burkina Faso. We were initially told that the work we were going to do was in Sokoto but then we saw ourselves heading elsewhere, somehow, we couldn’t raise our voices against what was happening. We slept in the open, begged for food and some of us who fell sick had no medication,” Suleiman explained.

Suleiman, who is married with three wives and nine children, said they spent about three months in Burkina Faso under severe living conditions and were abandoned as the work promised wasn’t forthcoming and they weren’t given the option of coming back home.

For Audu Sa’ad, he said when they got to the town they were showed a piece of land and were given tools to dig for the laying of telecommunication cable. “That was it. The project was just a decoy because we didn’t do anything but loiter around town,” Sa’ad explained.

According to him, they started to complain when they realized that no job was forthcoming and got agitated to return home. However, Sa’ad said it was then that they began to inform them that they are even been owed money as they have already settled our “bosses.” He said their “owners” evicted them from the work yard and they began to sleep in mosques and open spaces, begging for alms and food. That was not all. He said they once had a problem with security personnel in the town when some were arrested in the course of begging.

Another slave returnee victim, Sani Adamu said, “I began to sense something was wrong when after four weeks of our arrival, we were not allowed to return home for Sallah celebration as earlier promised. The language barrier worsened our stay there. There was no one we could explain our plight to . We were just left on our own. We had no money, no food, no means to reach our families. The few that had money, left.”

Abdullahi Amin of Kwakware village said most of them are jobless and idle in their respective villages and when the offer for a job came, they didn’t think twice but jumped at it. “We don’t know this Usman that took us to Benin Republic but his agents that came to our village. It was while in Cotonou that a woman took us to Burkina Faso. Even during the trip, we stayed for two days without food while being conveyed in the car until we reached the town. After two days of our arrival, it was then that Usman appeared and pleaded with us to be patient that he encountered some problems and his absence wasn’t deliberate. We began work on empty stomachs, digging dry land and worked for three weeks without any payment. Since then I have not set my eyes on him again.

“Some of us saw him collecting money from the woman in Benin. He told us he would send money to us and to our families back home to allow them to celebrate Sallah. He paid each of us N5, 000 and that’s all we got,” Amin said.

These were the ordeals of some of the 23 returnees that were brought back to Katsina following an intervention of the Nigerian Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Hajiya Rahmatu Ahmed, who contacted and informed the Katsina State Government about the plight of the trafficked victims, currently under the care of the Chief of the Hausa community in Ouagadougou.

According to reports, thirty victims were alleged to be lured with attracting offers by one Alhaji Usman Wagini, a human trafficker, who had already “sold” them unknowingly to a Beninoise lady based in Benin Republic. Ten of the victims are from Gusau, Zamfara State.

We gathered that the Benin lady thereafter took her “slaves” to Gaoua, where she kept them in servitude without food or money.

According to sources privy to the development, the lady whose name is yet to be provided has since been apprehended by the local authorities in Gaoua.

The Permanent Secretary, Government House, Katsina, Muktari Lawal who oversaw the repatriation said it was a pathetic ordeal for the victims as informed by the embassy in Burkina Faso. He said the embassy couldn’t transport all of them back but could sponsor only seven with five vowing to even walk on foot back home.

According to him, the governor, Aminu Masari mobilized resources to bring them all back home and liaised with immigration officials to follow due processes passing through French countries. He said because there are only two flights to Abuja a week, a decision to for a road trip was reached.

On their part, the spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah said, a manhunt has already been launched for the suspect and when found will be arrested and brought to book.

Adonte lauds Governor Okowa's educational policy direction

..... Appeals  for rehabilitation of rainstorm  damaged  classrooms.

By Emuji Magnus

In pursuance of good  governance,  every responsible government needs to genuinely focus in all  sectors of the economy  designed as strategic measures to improve the living conditions of the people  by impacting positively on their lives.

Of all the sectors  either health,  roads infrastructure,  commerce,  transportation,  sports and the rest, education sector is very critical in every society.  It plays a pivotal role in the socio-economic sustainability and development of the society.  There is no gainsaying the fact that education has plethora of multiplier effect on virtually other sectors of governance,  hence the string need for government at all levels to devise  more result oriented measures and approach towards giving the sector,  a face lift  it deserves.
To this end,  Delta  State Government under the leadership of Senator (Dr)   Ifeanyi  Okowa  articulated series of measures to put the sector in the pedestal of enviable growth.  His administration's achievements in the sector to  great extent is quite commendable and worthy of emulation even though it's performances in the roads,  job creation and health,  especially in the area of the  Contributory  Health Insurance Scheme  is unprecedented  and which template  other states May need to adopt in order to add value to their health sector  in tandem with the stronger Delta mantra of his administration.
Under his administration,  it is on records that several schools were given a face lift  with the renovation of class room blocks,  knowing fully well that  globally,  every developed society is largely depended on the level of its educational  growth and development.
Conscious of the fact that education sector in the state require qualified teaching professionals with a view to relaunch  the sector to its lost glory,  Governor Ifeanyi  Okowa  recently employed about 1000 teachers so as to bridge the gap that may have in one way or the other, inhibited  the expected results  in the sector  as the state is poised to continue to play a leading role in Nigeria  in virtually all spheres. This initiative is intended to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning . In all ramifications,  Governor Ifeanyi  Okowa  appreciates the importance of investing in the education sector.
Another giant strides  his administration had recorded in the education sector is the approval for the establishment of 19 technical  colleges in each of the Local Government where non was existing which inadvertently,  adds much value to the quest for job creation and self reliance through skill acquisition.  The food thing about this initiative is that it would in turn serve as an antidote for employment  generation as well as the youths  becoming employers of labour,  thus assisting government to absorb the teeming youth who are job seekers.
However, Adonte  an agrarian  community in Aniocha  South  Local Government Area of Delta State is one of such rural communities that are begging for government's attention.  The two public schools : Adonte  Mixed  Secondary School and Aniga  Primary school,  obviously requires rehabilitation of their  decaying  structures such as the classroom blocks and provision of desks for conducive learning activities by the pupils and students of the schools.
Established in 1980 during the defunct Bendel  State,  Adonte Mixed Secondary School  and Aniga  Primary school are facing  numerous challenges  ranging from  shortage of teachers,  lack  of water, power supply,  science and computer equipment among others.  Owing to the fact that Adonte  is  a rural  community most of the teachers posted to the schools often time seek reposting  to cities.
The ugly trends has left the leaders of the community with no other options than to engage  Ad-hoc  teaching staff who they usually pay for services rendered.
Against this backdrop,  the community is appealing to the  state government to put  it in consideration when deploying  the teachers,  recently employed by transferring at least minimum of fifteen teachers in relevant subjects  to the schools in Adonte  community in order to boost learning and teaching activities in the area.
Recently,  the roofs  of twelve (12) classroom blocks were damaged by rainstorm.  In view of the foregoing,  the community is appealing to the state government to come to its aid by renovating the destroyed facilities so that  their children could carry out their learning in a conducive and befitting environment.
Adonte  community had been engaged in aged long community development approach.  The community leverages on the opportunity of development partners to impact on its people.  For instance,  the leadership of Adonte  community,   a couple of years ago keyed into the Community -driven  development  initiative of the World  Bank/European Union  and Delta State Government  through which the community was able to implement it's choice project which is the earth grading of their old road, linking Ogwuashi -Uku.
The President -General of Adonte  Development  Union,  worldwide,  Mr.  Joseph  Ifeanyi Okonmah  and the Secretary -General,  Mr.  Presley  Uzoamaka  underscored the importance of education to the state and nation building and the community in particular.  The duo explained that their people who  were predominantly  farmers passionately  appraise the value of education , thus the need  for them to leave an enduring legacy for the present and future generations of their children  by ensuring  that their children accessed quality and sound education.
While commending  the State  Governor,  Senator (Dr)  Ifeanyi  Okowa  for the unprecedented socio-economic and infrastructural development across the state , the President -General and Secretary of Adonte Development Union,  Mr. Joseph  Ifeanyi  Okonmah  and Mr . Presley Uzoamaka  respectively congratulated  the Governor for the tribunal's affirmation of his election victory.  They described it as a true reflection of the wish of Deltans,  irrespective of political affiliations to join hands with Governor Okowa  to build a greater Delta.
Mr.  Ifeanyi Okonmah and  Presley  Uzoamaka  particularly  stated that since the rainstorm rendered  havoc  on the roofs of 12 classrooms in the community,  effective teaching and learning had been stalked, adding that the state government should expedite actions towards ameliorating the sufferings of their children go through as a result of the unfortunate natural disaster.
They lauded the policy  direction of the state government in the education sector, saying  that  in no distant time,  Delta would continue to be  a reference point to other states, even as they commended the State  Commissioner for Basic and Secondary  Education,  Chief  Patrick Ukah  for his dogged approach towards taking the education sector to enviable heights.
Speaking to journalists,  the President -General of Adonte Development  Union,  Asaba  branch, Mr. Godwin Adigwe  and Secretary , Mr.  Perry Nzeagwu,   said that the community was in dire  need of government presence,  adding that  most of the structures and infrastructure were in their schools  were aging, just as they decried lack of a functional science laboratory in the institutions. They said that they require 200 chairs and tables in their schools.
On his part,  the Programme Director of the Ambassadors for Development and Aids  Initiative, Mr.  Chuks  Okpunor  identified lack of commitment among teachers of nowadays  to their responsibility of moulding characters and future leaders,  absence of  remuneration and incentives for hardworking  workforce among them by the government as factors militating against the sector over time  and called for a reorientation among them for the overall well being of the society especially the grassroots populace. Mr.  Okpunor,  who called for all stakeholders in the sector to be proactive and contribute their quota to enhancing the growth the sector,not only for the state  but the country at large in line with the international best practices  , appealed to  Governor Ifeanyi  Okowa to draft more science teachers to Adonte  community.
Mr.  Okpunor  also called on the state government to assist the community with the provision of staff quarters and provide infrastructure  like power /electricity supply,  pipe borne water  and other basic  amenities in order to make the schools attractive for teachers to stay. He urged the teachers to consider the future of the society and show more commitments to their career.
While emphasising that the teachers should see  it as  a thing of joy to impact on the children through the right teachings which would translate into a better society, devoid of violence and crimes,  the Ambassadors for Development and Aids Initiative  Programme  Director, called on good  spirited individuals,  corporate bodies and financial organizations to invest in the education sector and to come to Adonte  community.
Speaking further,  the Ambassadors for  Development and Aids Initiative  Programme  Director  maintained that the organization was a non - governmental  organisation that works in synergy with institutions and development partners to promote the socio -economic well being of the citizens through Special Intervention in the Agro -Business Investment  Scheme.  Mr.  Okpunor,  who applauded the job and wealth creation programme of the Okowa  administration, stressed that the organization's objective intertwines with the SMART agenda of the state government.
''Our project is in line with the government social investment interventions and wealth creation for prospective beneficiaries (farmers)  in the  Agro -business sector with specific feature of 95 percent funding by financial partners with 9 percent interest  per annum.  The project is designed to eliminate all economic risks to the beneficiaries (farmers)   funding partners and the anchor firm (buyers), generate income and maximize profit '' , Mr. Okpunor  stated.
Mr.  Okpunor,  who also hails from Adonte  community appealed o the State  Commissioner for Water Resources Development,  Rt. Hon. Martin Okonta,  to incorporate his community's request for the provision of  standard boreholes in the  community  in the 2020 ministry's  budget  to cushion the effects of the rigours their people go through in search of clean water  as their only source of water  which is  stream  in where  they trek 5km to get water.
The students and pupils were not left out as they also lent their voices,  calling on the state government to  intervene in their school.  According to master  Chigozie  Okonmah  , a primary six  pupil of the  Aniga Primary  School,  Adonte  said they need government to carry out the repairs of their schools.
Governor Ifeanyi is a pragmatic and focused leader  with the interest of  Deltans at heart  and who is not only aware of the place of prioritising  education in  any governance  and the burning desire to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning,  but would as part of his policy direction,  ensure that every part of the state  gets its fair share and who knows  the turn of Adonte  might be imminent.

COEM Deputy Provost: Aspirants scheme as Dr. Erhinyodavwe's tenure ends in November

By Ossai Rita

Mosogar:  As the Deputy Provost of the College of Education,  Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Johnson Erhinyondavwe's tenure expired in November, many Chief  lectures in the college are already scheming in a bid to succeed him.

Amongst those scheming seriously to grab the plum job are : Dr. Moses Omayuli , Dr. Moses Ossai , Dr. Onojete Power and Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha .

Of the lots Dr. Moses Omayuli and Dr. Moses Ossai are already carrying on as if they have grab the position already.  While Omayuli was said to be bragging of having Senator (Chief) Ighoyota Amori, as his godfather,  Ossai on the other hand is backing on solid support from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa , because of his  ethnic background.  However,  Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha and Dr. Power Onojete, were said, to hang their fate in destiny.

In this article, we serve you in  brief their strong  and low points which could decide in their favour or militate against their aspirations.

Dr. Moses Omayuli :  Is an  environmental biologist. He is a senior lecturer scheming to succeed the outgoing Deputy Provost . He has acted in that capacity and that of the Provost in the past . He is not strange to the challenges of that office. Besides , he is sure of Senator Ighoyota Amori, the Chairman of Delta State Capital Development Agency and the Otota of Mosogar Kingdom's  support anytime, anyday. However,   critical stakeholders are of the view that Omayuli's  anticidents has already disqualified him even before the race begins. He was said to be  high handed to staff and students of the college when he assumed that position and that of the Provost on acting capacity .He was said to have actively played on ethnic sentiment to the detriment of non indigenes working in the college.  His past records as acting Provost was an eye saw which was characterised by massive  corruption and reckless  maladministration. He was said to be a self serving man who plays the ethnic card to whip up sentiments for self gain under the guise of fighting for Mosogar's interest.

Omayuli was also accused of alleged promotion to the rank of a senior lecturer without the requisite academic qualifications in  2008 contrary to the regulations of the National Council of the Colleges of Education. His ascension was said to be an academic fraud perpetuated with the connivance of  a compromised Academic Board of the College at that time .

Another reason stakeholders have questioned the rationality of Omayuli's scheming to come back again is that he is a master of undue process. He was said to have elevated an indicted  lecturer,  Mike Eguegu ,  accused of  sexual harassment to Dean , School of Arts and Social Sciences. He was also alleged to have made an unconfirmed assistant lecturer the coordinator of the college's demonstration school over confirmed senior colleagues just as he was said to made a part time  lecturer  the Head of Department of Political Science over permanent staff.

Omayuli, according to stakeholders should burry his ambition because of his lack of quality as an  administrator . He was said to be a puppet of his wife who was effectively in charge when the husband was acting as the college Provost.  He was said to have made the wife a lecturer II, the Head of the Department of Biology and the Director of UNICEF projects in the college.

Omayuli has been accused of bringing the college to its present sorry state. When he was acting  Provost,  he recklessly  awarded and supplied sub standard equipment and items for the price of quality ones . Omayuli is too corrupt and will kill the college if allowed to come again. Presently, the college is in court battling with litigation from a contractor over a misappropriated TETFUND money meant to pay contractors .

Dr. Moses Ossai : is a guardian and counsellor. He was said to have also acted before as Provost of the college. Ossai, believed he is there already as he flouts Okowa's and Delta north connection.

However,  critical stakeholders have also condemned Ossai's aspiration as fruitless exercise of a misguided actor who failed woefully when given the opportunity to act .   Those against him said, he is incompetent for the office and lack the requisite foresight, zeal and the push to revive the college. His ideology is not different from the one he employed when he acted in the past and that is not what the college needed in the present circumstance. The college required an astute administrator with fresh idea and the push to ensure its survival. This quality, Ossai, lacked and it will take an herculean task for him to make an appreciable impact if given the opportunity again. Besides,  like Moses Omayuli,  age is not on the side of Moses Ossai.

Moses Ossai , was also accused of alleged reckless and gross financial misconduct during his short stay as active Provost. This stakeholders said, also disqualified him  from any reconsideration of coming back again.

Mr. Daniel Avwenaghegha : is also a guardian and counsellor. He is a quiet and easy going person. Unlike the duo of Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, he has not acted as Deputy Provost or Provost before, and this is an added advantage. Again, Avwenaghegha, is from Jesse, a sister community to Mosogar Kingdom, where the college is situated. Opinion moulder are of the view that Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, should voluntarily step down for Avwenaghegha, as a befitting parting gift for his retirement, since he has not occupied the office before. Avwenaghegha, is also said to be better placed and will do better if given the opportunity to act.

However,  the only clog in the wheel of Avwenaghegha's progress to ascend the Deputy Provost's  office in acting capacity is that of the ethnic card that is been played once again. A prominent politician and a High Chief from Mosogar Kingdom is said to have been dragged into the scheme and has vowed that a Jesse man will never be the Provost of the college as long as he lives.  This is the only " k " leg to Avwenaghegha's emergence.

Dr. Onojete Power : is from the Department of Educational Foundation. He  is also scheming to become the Deputy Provost. Like Moses Omayuli and Moses Ossai, he has also acted as a Deputy Provost for two tenure in the past . Though qualified, stakeholders said, he has  so many negatives against him. First and foremost, he was accused of extreme rigidity in his administrative / leadership style.  Added to this, is that age is  not on his side and he is said to lack the ideals of a young vibrant administrator that could turn things around for the college.

Fruadsters obtain N29.6m bribe from chinese seeking road contract in Kaduna

Two members of a fraudulent gang have been arrested by the police for allegedly parading themselves as officials of the Kaduna State Government to commit fraud.

The suspects are Adamu Garuba, who impersonated a lawmaker in the state and his sister-in-law, Rita Waziri, who acted as the Commissioner for Works.

They reportedly connived with one Mayowa to swindle a Chinese seeking award of a road contract in the state out of N29.6m.

City Round learnt that Mayowa had approached the victim identified as Su at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in July 2018, telling him that the Kaduna State Government was searching for contractors to rehabilitate a 14-kilometre road in the Kagoro area of the state.

Mayowa, who is said to be currently serving a jail term in Lagos, introduced Su to Garuba as honourable Ibrahim, the Chairman, Budget and Planning Committee of the House.

Garuba reportedly requested Su to pay N1.6m to register his company with the Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority.

After paying the sum, the suspects reportedly invited Su to a makeshift office on the premises of the state government secretariat, with their pictures hung on the wall.

A member of the syndicate, identified as Captain who is still at large, also paraded himself as Commissioner for Finance.

“The sum of N28m was collected from Su after negotiation of the contract and a fake contract letter was issued to him. Few months after, he became suspicious of the deal and contacted Garuba demanding a refund,” a police source said.

Su was said to have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who directed operatives of the Intelligence Response Team led by DCP Abba Kyari, to track down the suspects.

It was learnt that the team arrested Waziri recently and she led them to Garuba.

Garuba, a 51-year-old native of Kagoma, in the Jamal Local Government Area of the state, said he got N15m as his share of the fraud which he used to build a house.

He said, “Mayowa brought the Chinese man’s job.  We collected N1.6m first from the man for the registration of his company. We then took the man to Kaduna State Government House and we used the reception of an office to execute the job. We were four that did the job.

“Waziri, who is my elder brother’s wife acted as the Commissioner for Works. We hung her picture beside that of the governor and President to make it look official. Captain played the role of the Commissioner for Finance, Kaduna State while I acted as a member of the state House of Assembly,

“We told the Chinese man that the governor wanted him to rehabilitate a 14-kilometre road in the Kagoro area of Southern Kaduna and that he would start with seven kilometres, which would cost N2bn.

“We demanded five per cent of the total cost immediately he is mobilised for the contract. We also showed him contractual agreements between his company and the Kaduna State Government. Afterwards, the man was convinced and paid us N28m in bribe.

“I got N15m as my share and gave Waziri N200,000 while Mayowa got N13m out of which he settled Captain.  I used the money to build a house in a Government Reserved Area.”

Waziri, a trader, said she thought she was assisting her brother-in-law without knowing that she was committing a crime.

“Garuba is the younger brother of my husband and he was the person that took me to where I snapped the picture at Banawa shopping complex in Kaduna State. During our meeting with the Chinese man, I introduced myself as the Commissioner for Works and after we exchanged pleasantries I left.

“Later that day, Garuba called me and gave me N200,000. I thought the money was just a gift.  I didn’t know they defrauded the Chinese,” she added.