36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014
Niger Delta youth group lauds NIMASA DG
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HE Niger Delta Youth Peace Initiative Movement, NDYPIM, has expressed confidence in Mr. Ziakede Akpobuloukami, Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, over the management of the country’s maritime sector. NDYPIM said that since Akpobuloukami took over the leadership of NIMASA, he has proved himself worthy of the appointment, adding that the DG’s antecedents speaks volume. NDYPIM’s President, Mr Ebikabowei Edon in a statement, yesterday, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing a worthy son of the Niger Delta to head NIMASA. He said that since the location of NIMASA’s Science and Technical College in Okoloba and the university of Oceanography in Ekerenkoko both in Delta State, there have been beehive of economic activities in these coastal communities of the state. He commended Akpobuloukami for sending thousands of youths abroad to study various courses in the maritime sector, noting that in no distance time, youths from the Niger Delta region would occupy positions in the maritime sector being presently handled by expatriates.
Itsekiri nation not for sale —INYC president BY GODWIN ORITSE
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RESIDENT of Itsekiri Na tional Youth Council, INYC, Mr David Tonwe, yesterday, said the Itsekiri nation was not for sale. He said that the INYC was not the same thing as the oil-rich Ugborodo matter. Tonwe spoke when the leadership of three key Itsekiri groups paid him a solidarity visit and passed a vote of confidence on him and his executive in the face of current attack from some Itsekiri youths, who are challenging their legitimacy and continued stay in office. The INYC president said that the body was not his personal property, adding that as a body guided by law and a constitution, he was only serving out his tenure, describing those who were fighting him through newspaper publications as fifth coloumnists, who do not know history of INYC. Leaders of the Itsekiri Development Association, National Association Itsekiri Graduates and the National Association Itsekiri Students led by Mr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro informed the INYC executive that they were solidly behind them, taking into cognisance their contributions to the upliftment of the Iwere nation since the out break of the Warri crisis.
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ORT HARCOURT— NI GERIA Union of Journalists, NUJ, yesterday, condemned Sunday’s attack on journalists by hoodlums in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State. State NUJ council, in a statement, condemned the Police for standing by while media men were being attacked on the said day. The statement by the state NUJ Chairman, Mr Dakubo Opaka, reminded security operatives and the political class that journalists were not politicians, stressing that they should not be objects of attacks. NUJ said, “Journalists are professionals carrying out their duties as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and other international charters of which Nigeria is a signatory. Journalists are not interested parties in the political
Abandoned projects: Delta to clampdown on erring contractors BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI
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ARRI— WEEKS after Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, said he would to no longer tolerate contractors who abandon or do shoddy work on government projects without justification, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr. Timi Tonye, has informed that government
Oshiomhole rules out politicians from Neighbourhood Watch BY SIMON EBEGBULEM
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ENIN CITY—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, said that the process of reconstitut-
NUJ flays attack on journalists BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME
L-r: Akwa Ibom State Governor and Chairman PDP Governors' Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda shortly after a meeting at Akwa Ibom Governor's Lodge, Abuja, yesterday
crisis currently rocking Rivers State. “We condemn the attack on journalists working with Channels Television on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at Bori, headquarters of Khana council of Rivers State, during the botched Save Rivers Movement rally. We recall similar attacks on journalists working with TV Continental, Sun Newspapers, RSTV, Rhythm 93.7 FM, among others. “We find this situation unacceptable and urge political parties, groups and their followers, to engage in their activities and leave journalists alone to practise their chosen profession. We also condemn a situation where policemen and other security agents, attack journalists or even standby and watch while journalists are being attacked by hoodlums. “We call on the Police and other security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Nigerians in Rivers State, irrespective of their political affiliations."
ing a new Neighbourhood Watch in the state, will commence in February, adding that youths from the three senatorial districts of the state would be assembled and saddled with the responsibility of reconstituting the security outfit. There has been pressure from youths urging the state government to reconstitute a new Neighoorhood Watch after the outfit was dissolved by the governor last year, following allegations of corrupt practices against some of the officials of the outfit. Vanguard learnt that only the Chairman of the Board, Gen. Charles Omoregie, may be retained in the yet to be reconstituted Board. However, Oshiomhole who assured that the process of reconstituting the security outfit will commence next month, acknowledged the pains some genuine youths, who were members of the dissolved group may have suffered, saying that the decision to disband it was in the best interest of the state. Oshiomhole had, at a youth summit organised by the state government, said that politicians would not be involved in the reconstitution of the security out fit.
will soon clamp down on such erring contractors. Tonye while inspecting DESOPADEC completed and ongoing projects in Ndokwa West and Ukwani Local Government Areas of the state, warned that the Uduaghan administration in its determination to finish strong would no longer tolerate contractors, who abandon or do shoddy jobs as “such actions had in the past caused setback to the development drive in the state.” He appealed to contractors to expedite action on projects awarded to them.
Projects inspected by Tonye include the Obodoagu Road in Okuzu, Obiaruku, where he promised to brief Governor Uduaghan on abandoned project, particularly the drainage on the road. Other projects inspected include the completed ante-natal building at the Obiaruku General Hospital, renovated block of six classrooms at Obiaruku Boys Secondary School, 100KVA generator at the Obiaruku General Hospital and the Johnson Oriaku Road, which has also been completed.
••Controversy trails govt’s move to collect property tax BY AUSTIN OGWUDA
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SABA—DELTA State Government has inaugurated a special task force charged with the responsibility of making landlords in the state to pay ground rent for their landed property, whether residential, religious, commercial or agricultural to sustain the economic growth of the state, with immediate effect. However, the inauguration of the task force, headed by a member of the state Board of Internal Revenue Mr. Frank Nwugo has been criticised by the opposition, which described it as a move “to afflict more pains on the people.” Speaking at the inauguration of the task force in Asaba, weekend, the state Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Mr. Patrick Ferife, said that the outfit derives its mandate to collect ground rent from provisions of the Land Use Act 1978 as amended, which vested ownership of all lands on the state government.
He said “Sections 7 and 30, Annexure XXIII/C118 of Delta State Internal Revenue, DSIR 2009 Law empowers the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue to collect ground rent from lease holders on both state and private land ranging from a maximum rate of N100 per square metre on commercial lease holders of state land to a minimum rate of 50k per square metre on agricultural lease holders on private lands.” State Chairman of Labour Party, Mr Emeka Nkwoala, in his reaction, said “this new policy is another form of raising resources for the state at the detriment of the people. We have always maintained that any policy of government must have human face and not infflict more pain on the people. If we must pay more through this ground rent policy, then government must show proof of transparency in the running of its activities. Our people must resolve to hold government accountable for its action and inaction always.”