Igbogidi FC Lifts 2024 Olu of Warri Community Peace Cup

By Odeya Ogbetuo

The 2024 Olu of Warri Community Peace Cup rounded-off with Igbogidi FC emerging as the winner with a penalty shootout.In a full time play the Ubeji FC slugged it out with the Igbogidi FC in the Olu of Warri Community Peace Cup in the 9th Edition at the Nana Model College Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State to commemorate the 3rd Coronation Anniversary of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR.

In the grand finale of the Olu of Warri Peace Cup 2024, a sports initiative aimed at rewarding talents and promoting peace among communities in Delta state was rounded – off with presentation of awards by the National Co-ordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Chief Sheriff Mulade and the Chairman of the Itsekiri Interest Group, Comrade Gbubemi Awala.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee and the Iwere Sport Centre, Chief Sherif Mulade presented the 2024 Olu of Warri Community Peace Cup to Igbogidi FC the winner with N1 Million First Price of the 9th Edition of the Tournament.With the support of Comrade Gbubemi Awala various categories of award were given to the best goal keeper- Great Edafe, Fair player of the team of the tournament, best player of the tournament among other consolatory prizes.

Chief Mulade commended the organizers of the tournament, stressing that football is a unifying factor as it promotes peace and unity.

He urged the organizers to improve on subsequent editions of the tournament, adding that he would continue to support any programme that will promote peace and unity among the people of the Niger Delta in particular and Nigeria at large.

Engineer Collins Edema said that talents will come out of this tournament and urged the continuation of this football competition.

He stated that soccer remains one of the ways to take youths from the streets and make them useful, adding that football promotes love, peace and unity among the people.

Speaking at the end of the tournament, the chairman of Iwere Sport Centre (ISC) and head of coach of JOETIA FC, Mr. Toritseju Igbiaye Samuel said that football requires regular practice, stamina and courage and a winner will emerge.

Igbiaye Samuel further said that ISC was ever ready to organize the yearly tournament to promote peace and unity, adding that ISC was committed to the success of the 2024 Olu of Warri Community Peace Cup which ended peacefully and successfully in a grand style.

He commended the 32 Communities both in Delta State and beyond that participated in the tournament.

Delta Government involves capable contractors for road projects- Aniagwu declares

Delta State Government says the state engages only competent contractors in handling road projects across the State.

The Commissioner for Works, Rural and Riverine, Mr. Charles Aniagwu made the declaration Thursday August 22, 2024, when members of Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel (ICC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba, the State capital.

He revealed that a whole lot of effort is put in by the ministry to engage competent contractors following the various factors that are associated in road construction.

According to him, “I can tell you that a whole lot of effort is usually being put in, in the ministry to engage very competent contractors .

“Road construction is not entirely like other things that you do that you can easily tell what will come out. There are a whole lot of factors that comes in.

“And that is why we have what is called retention; you construct a road, if that road if its ten naira and we are able to pay possibly up to nine naira and we hold back one naira for a period of one year, at some instances up to two years.

“We hold that money so that if anything happens that, that your job have issues, you can now still go back and do it without any other additional cost to government and then, thereafter when we certify that the road is able to stand the test of time, then you are now allow to have access through a certificate that your money that is retained. Sometimes it depends on the volume of work, it runs into some hundreds of millions.

“And so, it is proper engineering practice that it is possible that for some obvious reason that in the cause of work one or two things may happen.

“No matter how much effort you put in, along the line even a competent contractor could construct a road where along the line one thing happens that it generate a pothole or a little crater because the contractor is not the ancestral owner where the road is constructed.

“There could be some elements, maybe somewhere around there before was a soaker away 60 years ago but overtime, it has been covered by normal soil type and even when you are doing excavation to remove unsuitable materials, you do not know that beneath what you thought you have gotten to the suitable material”, explaining that there might be something that the contractor didn’t see.

“And you start contracting and you do the road and you compact and the road is fine. Now, continuous pressure by vehicles that are coming and are carrying loads as much as 45 tonnage weight increased auxils on that road like the Dangote kind of truck.

“By the time they continue to pound the road, something may happen in that particular spot that you didn’t see, that does not mean that we ate dealing with contractors that are not competent”, stressing that roads are of different categories.

“If we continue to insist that we must bring foreign contractors coming from abroad, that contractor was not born a contractor. It is in the cause of time that he grew, like they said, experience is the best teacher.

“Overtime, as the contractors that we have engaged, people that you call indigenous contractors, they have shown that they could also improve in their abilities. The contractors that we have, to a very large extence are doing well.

“Some of them now are doing very beautiful bridges and if you see some of the things they are doing, you will not even believe that it is coming from some of these our indigenous contractors but that is not to say that we will not take into cognizance some of these issues that you have raised for us to further raise the bar”.

On the issues of contractors abandoning projects, he said: “that is not entirely true. There are certain things our people need to understand. If you are constructing a road awarded to you for instance in March, which most of the time is dry season where you have lesser rain.

“And you continue, you have been able to remove unsuitable materials, build your concrete works (the drains and possibly the covets), and by the time you get into June, when you are supposed to start your earth work, maybe bringing in Laterite and then, the rain comes in some immeasurable proportion , even we as a ministry, will ask you to march brake.

“Because if you proceed because you want to gain speed, you are not going to be able to have the opportunity to be able to compact the Laterite that you are going to pour and spread across that corridor because you do know that once you pour Laterite and you have that kind if water on top of it, as you are compacting it, it is going to attach to the roller and you cannot achieve what you want to achieve

“You cannot even wake up and say let me go and apply crushed stones on top of it. And you cannot all of a sudden change from Laterite in a dry land to shape sand which you can possibly use to work in raining season. The cost of the shape sand is not the same thing as the Laterite”, insisting that Laterite must be applied as at when due.

He said such a situation between the raining season and another dry season, it would not be correct for people to say the contractor has abandoned such a project.

He equally pointed out that a contractor may not be seen at a site due to escalation in price or preparation of certificates awaiting government payment, calling on Deltans to exercise patient with the government and contractors handling road projects across the State particularly with the ongoing work on Ododegho road as the project was awaiting review.

He pointed out that government may also be engaged in scale of preference which is not “total adjudication”, as government would not take everything at one moment.

“The contractor may just hold on to either source money from the bank or for government to process certificates and pay so that he can also return”, he added .
Earlier, Chairman of the Chapel, Kenneth Orusi, appreciated the Commissioner and his management team for approving the courtesy.

He pointed out the need for projects to be constantly given to more competent and capable contractors in order for the executed projects to stand the test of time.

Delta NUJ Honours Veteran Journalist Sola Adebayo

**Award of Excellence a Surprise Gift from the Union- Adebayo reacts

For his continuous support for journalists and the development of journalism in the Niger Delta region, veteran journalist and media consultant, Asiwaju Sola Adebayo, has been honoured by the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists with an award of excellence.

Adebayo, a former bureau chief of the Vanguard, Punch, and National Mirror Newspapers for over three decades, was presented with the prestigious NUJ Award Wednesday August 21, 2024, during the State Congress held at the Government House Annex in Edjeba, Warri.

The award was presented on behalf of the Union by the State Council Chairman, Comrade Churchill Oyowe.

Comrade Oyowe, flanked by other state officials, commended the veteran journalist for his active participation in Union activities as well as matters that pertain to the wellbeing of his professional colleagues.

He also lauded Adebayo’s contribution to the development of journalism in the state and the Niger Delta region.

While noting that the award was well deserved and overwhelmingly supported by chapels and members of the Delta Council, Comrade Oyowe praised Adebayo for supporting the union’s projects even after his retirement from active practice.

He further disclosed that the media guru also offered to sponsor the feeding of journalists across the state who attended the first-rotational congress of the Union in Warri in line with his campaign promises to members.

Meanwhile, Asiwaju Adebayo has described the award of excellence as a surprise gift from the union, noting that his support for the profession, where he spent over 30 years, was to encourage his colleagues to do better in their duties.

Whilst making further donations to an upcoming project of the Union, Adebayo charged journalists in the state to remain committed to the ethics of the job and be resilient in delivering their duties to the public.

Also Read: Senator Dafinone Congratulates New Delta NUJ Chairman, Promises To Partner Journalists

He further counseled media practitioners to employ modern-day journalistic tools to remain relevant in their profession.

The prolific award-winning writer commended the Oyowe-led Delta NUJ Council and all journalists in the state for their unity and promised to continue to support future activities of the Union.

Adebayo has been offering philanthropic gestures to retired and practicing journalists in the state who are in need and facing health challenges.

The presentation of the award was witnessed by NUJ leaders, veteran journalists, and members of the Union drawn from across the state.

We want to replicate Banana Island in Warri – Agbateyiniro reveals

By: Celestine Ukah

The Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area Council Delta State, Comrade Weyinmi Isaac Agbateyiniro has revealed that he will replicate Banana Island city estate in Warri in order to boost the economy of the Council.

Comrade Agbateyiniro made the revelation known Wednesday August 21, 2024 during NUJ Delta State Council first rotational Congress held at Governor’s Annex under his LGA coverage, assuring that revolutionising Warri with development initiatives is his utmost priority and target.

Whilst reeling out some of his achievements and programmes within a spell of a month and some days in office, Comrade Agbateyiniro pointed out that they have set up Warri investment committee, WIC and has also brought in his social contacts and partners that will enable it come to fruition.

The Warri South Council Boss who’s the immediate past Delta State Commissioner for Youths Development, said they they have embarked on strengthening operation keep Warri clean to provide waste bins collectors for residents free of charge, Comrade Agbateyiniro stressed that they will be giving care and monthly Cash support to up to 500 indigent residents throughout the administration.

He also added that Since inception of Warri South Local Government and Delta State as well as in Nigeria, his administration is the first to create and appoint Supervisor for Human Capital Development to cater for the less privilege at the grassroot level of governance.

The very articulate and vibrant Warri South Council Chairman posited that they are building standard abattoirs at Pessu market, construction of cold room, embarked on carrying out remedial work on UCC road at Igbudu area and intervening in giving Igbudu market a facelift as well as providing soft loans to the major markets in Warri South.

Comrade Agbateyiniro commended NUJ Delta State Council for hosting the Congress in Warri and assured them of continuous partnership.

Chairman of NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, lauded Comrade Agbateyiniro for his achievements within a month on the saddle of leadership in Warri South.

Comrade Oyowe urged Comrade Agbateyiniro to sustain his development agenda in order to advance Warri through meaning economic revitalisation pace. “As Warri no dey carry last”.

Secretary to Warri South Local Government designate, Comrade Emmanuel Nunu and some of his aides accompanied the Warri South Council Boss to the NUJ Delta Council Congress.

Urgent: Jeffrey Nkem Ofuasia, Kidney Patient Cries Out For Assistance, Seeks N26M For Transplant

**Calls On Delta Gov.,Faith Based Organizations, NGOs, Good Spirited Citizens To Come To His Aid

Jeffrey Nkem Ofuasia, a Kidney Patient from Emuhu, Delta state, has cried out to good spirited Nigerians to come to his rescue and save his life as he seeks N26, 000,000(Twenty Six Million Naira) for an urgent kidney Transplant.

The 42year old graduate of Library and Information Science, from Delta state university and father of one, who is currently receiving treatment at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), specially pleaded with the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, (Rt.) Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, faith-based organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and good spirited Nigerians came to his rescue.

Narrating the origin of how the health challenge started, he said; in September 2022, I was feeling weak and pale, so I went to Catholic Hospital, Agbor, where I was admitted. Some tests were run, and it was discovered my BP was very high and I had high blood sugar. I started to behave irrationally because my Urea was high.

On the third day, I was referred to Asaba Specialist Hospital (ASH), Asaba where I was admitted and discharged in October after 3 weeks. I was managed by a Consultant Cardiologist from September 2022 to February 2023 for HBP and sugar with medications.

Continuing, he added; When the Blood pressure refused to go down, a kidney function test, full blood count test and urinalysis test were carried out, and it was discovered that my urea and creatinine were very high, which has damaged my kidneys. I was diagnosed to have Chronic Kidney Disease CKD stage 5, thereafter referred to FMC, Asaba. Since then, I have been on medication for the management of my kidneys.

On November 4th, 2023, I started the dialysis at FMC, Asaba till February 2024, when I changed to Central Hospital, Agbor till date, twice a week. I have been on dialysis, based on the Nephrologist’s advice and recommendation, pending when I will have money for kidney transplant.

Since then, my family has spent so much and has been stressed beyond their limits. I am therefore pleading with the Delta State Government, His Excellency, (Rt.) Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, faith-based organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and good spirited Nigerians come to my rescue”.

Donations should be sent to Jeffrey Nkem Ofuasia, Account Number; 3831015873, Ecobank. The family could also be reached for enquiries on 08030736731, 08034874185.

Ereyitomi Felicitates Olu of Warri, Atuwatse III CFR on his 3rd coronation anniversary

By: Celestine Ukah

The Member Representing Warri Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Honourable Chief Dr. Thomas Ereyitomi has congratulated the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, on his 3rd coronation anniversary Wednesday August 21, 2024.

Chief Ereyitomi Lauded the Warri Monarch for ensuring peaceful co-existence in Warri Kingdom since he ascended the ancient throne three years ago.

The Warri Federal Parliamentarian notes that Ogiame Atuwatse III Olu of Warri had played significant roles in the economic revival of Warri Kingdom in the last few years he ascended the throne.

Chief Ereyitomi whilst Congrstulating Ogiame Atuwatse III called for more unity and Peace among the people in order to experience rapid development across the Warri traditional ruler’s domain, just as he urged the Olu subjects to continually show solidarity and respect to the throne always.

Rep Ereyitomi on behalf of his family, lovely people of Warri South, Warri North and Warri South-West expressed deep congratulations to His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse Iii, CFR, The Olu of Warri as he celebrates three years on the Prestine throne of Warri Kingdom.

Delta Govt warns Pensioners Scammers of Arrest , Prosecution -Says Gbegbaje

The Chairman, Delta State Bureau for Pensions, Sir Edwin E. Ogidi-Gbegbaje (KSM), says government was after pensions’ scammers who misled innocent citizens especially unsuspecting pensioners and their family members.

Sir. Ogidi-Gbegbaje who was flanked by Directors of the Board, disclosed this Wednesday August 21, 2024, when members of Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel (ICC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba, the State capital.

He warned that those responsible for defrauding pensioners of their hard earned resources, would soon have their day and urged them to as a matter of urgency turn a new way of life as the Bureau under his watch has zero tolerance for corruption and unscrupulous elements.

He ruled out compromise while management and staff are doing their work, saying no staff was allowed to demand for tips from retirees.

He disclosed that recently, the activity of a scammer whose name he gave as James Onoja Pen, with phone number 07070764813, was brought to his notice who demanded the sum of N45, 000 to facilitate the payment for a retiree.

When the number was placed on True Caller, it showed James Onoja Fraud.

Hear him: “It may have happened in the past but not hear. Somebody came here in respect of pension for his late mother and he said he got a phone call from somebody who got the information of the late mother very correctly but now said he should part with N45, 000 to get the money out quickly.

“I have collected the name of the person who made that phone call, I will strongly advise and warn that anybody who accepts such request to give gratification to anybody for the processing or the payments for entitlement, does so at his/her own risk.

“We do not solicit for or demand for payments in the processing of pension benefits. If there is anybody who is doing so, I want to plead, let that person be exposed.

“Because if I get reliable information on those persons or person who are doing that, such person or persons will face the law, I will not tolerate that and it will not be encouraged.

“And anybody who is found wanting doing that, will face dire consequences. That is my position on it”, the forthright Bureau Chairman, declared.

He denied awareness of any cartel in the Board involved in the scamming of pensioners, “that person is not our staff”.

He said the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration holds pensioners so dear to his heart and would do anything humanly possible to ameliorate their plights.