UDUAGHAN BAGS DOCTORATE DEGREE

 UDUAGHAN BAGS DOCTORATE DEGREE

His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, Immediate Past Governor of Delta State receiving his award 

His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON, the Immediate Past Governor of Delta State was earlier today conferred with a Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Public Administration by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) at the 50th Convocation/Golden Jubilee ceremony of the University which held today in Nsukka, Enugu State.

Dr. Uduaghan was among only three awardees in that category. The other two being the GMD of Zenith Bank Plc and an alumnus of UNN, Engr. Fubara Obioha.

The Honorary Doctorate degree of the University of Nigeria is reserved for men and women of uncommon achievements and Dr. Uduaghan was recognized for his contribution to public service and governance.

During his time as Governor of Delta State, Dr. Uduaghan was reputed for his N5m oversea scholarship given to first class graduates of Delta State and remarkable improvement in the fortunes of education as well as other sectors of the State.

Moments earlier, Dr. Uduaghan commissioned the brand new University of Nigeria Medical Centre built from the University’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). The former Governor commended the Vice-Chancellor for the initiative and advised other tertiary institutions to emulate UNN.

MONDAY TENUMAH PRESENT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO UDAIBO PRIMARY SCHOOL, AJUDAIBO

 MONDAY TENUMAH PRESENT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS  TO UDAIBO PRIMARY SCHOOL, AJUDAIBO

Pupils of the school displaying some of the educational materials 

Ajudaibo Community Committee Chairman, Mr. Monday Tenumah who also is the MD Esinmon Nigeria Company in his usual yearly programme of encouraging Education in his area has again donated educational materials worth thouands of Naira to Udaibo Primary School, Ajudaibo.

The Educational materials which includes dozens of note books of various sizes, Packet of Biros, Board Markers, Packets of Pencils, Packets of Eraser, Football, Set of School Drums, School Uniforms and Vest were presented to the school authority on Friday February 17, 2023 on behalf of Mr. Monday E. Tenumah by some prominent Community leaders including Mr. Abraham Enegho, Community Secretary, Mr. Ani. R. Uwawah, Ugborodo Community former Youth Leader, Mr. Amos O. Daje, branch Chairman and Mr. Bright E. Akuleyi. 

These materials were received by the class teacher of the school, Uncle Gbekele Oguntideji Gabriel on behalf of the Head Teacher, Mrs. Lilian Tameta Sagay. 

While receiving the materials, they thanked him and prayed to God to bless him in all his present and future endevours. 

Mr Monday Tenumah 

It would be recalled that this exercise by Mr. Tenumah in developing the School is a yearly programme. 

Warri Voice can report authoritatively that Mr. Tenumah is the brain behind regular clearing and cleaning of the school, painting of the school, providing some of the teachers, both teaching and none teaching staff incentives as a way of boosting their morals. 

In a chat with Warri Voice on what prompted him on this yearly project, he said it is just his own way of giving back to the society and called on other indegenes and lovers of education to borrow a leaf from him.

WARRI SOUTH COMMUNITY CHAIRMEN, SDP MEMBERS IN WARRI SOUTH PROMISES TO SUPPORT PDP DURING MARCH 18TH ELECTION

 WARRI SOUTH COMMUNITY CHAIRMEN,SDP MEMBERS IN WARRI SOUTH PROMISES TO SUPPORT PDP DURING MARCH 18TH ELECTION

Chairmen and Executives of Warri South Communities as well as members of Warri 

South Social Democratic Party (SDP) have come together in one voice to affirm 

their overwhelm support for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forth 

coming Gubernatorial / House of Assembly election come March 18, 2023.

Chairman of PDP, Warri South L.G.A, Mr. Johnson Agbeyegbe while welcoming 

the two groups at the well attended event which took place on Wednesday March 

15, 2023 at Bridge View Hotel, Warri, commended them for their wise decision. 

Another leader of Warri South PDP, Barr. Val Arenyeka thanked and assured them 

that their decision to join the PDP will not be in vain.

Ugbori Community Chairmen, Mr. Amoma Omagbemi who spoke on behalf of 

other community chairmen promised to support PDP to get victory but appealed to 

the leaders of PDP in Warri South not to forget them after success in areas of 

appointments and juicy positions.

Other PDP leaders who spoke brilliantly at the event are: Hon. Omimi Esquire, Hon. 

Giftson Omatsuli, Comrade Weyinmi Isaac Agbateyiniro, Mr. Dere Jarikpe and 

Hon. Hope George who gave the vote of thanks.

Buhari, CBN finally approve old N500, N1,000 notes as legal tender until Dec 31

 

Buhari, CBN finally approve old N500, N1,000 notes as legal tender until Dec 31

 

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have finally approved that the old N200, N500, N1,000 notes would remain legal tender until December 31, 2023 following the supreme court ruling.

This was announced by the apex bank’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, in a statement on Monday March 14, 2023.

AbdulMumin said that the CBN took the decision based on the Supreme Court’s ruling of March 3, 2022.

He also confirmed that the CBN met with the Bankers’ Committee and had directed that the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes till December 31, 2023.

 

“Consequently, all concerned are directed to conform accordingly,” the statement read in part.

The CBN’s statement comes after President Muhammadu Buhari absolved himself of any blame for the failure of the apex bank to obey the highest court in the land.

CEPEJ, PIND Sign Peace Accord will Stakeholders, Political Parties amidst Governorship Election

 CEPEJ, PIND Sign Peace Accord with Stakeholders, Political Parties amidst Governorship Election 

Chief Sheriff Mulade in a group photograph with participants including Amb. Prince D. Ebilade

 

Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) in collaboration with Partnership Initiative for Niger Delta (PIND) have signed a peace accord with Stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region, with key focus on election violence prone Local Government Areas in Delta State.

 

The event was held on Wednesday March 8, 2023 at the Petroleum Training Institute Conference Centre, Effurun, with lots of community leaders and political party members in attendance.

 

In his welcome address, Founder of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, Chief Amb. Sheriff Mulade averred: “Our purpose of gathering here today is all about peaceful co-existence which cannot be over emphasized. We believe as an organization that there is life after election and that no matter the number of contestants, only one person can emerge as the winner. There is the common saying that what you don’t get today; you will get tomorrow as long as there is life. Also, a display of maturity is patience. 

 

“On this note, we have put this meeting together to proffer solution for a way forward to sustain peace in our communities.

 

“We believe that all contestants are peace loving and law abiding citizens. Therefore, whatever that is presented to us as a way of sustaining peace in our communities should be welcome. 

 

“I want to specially appreciate and commend the effort of our donor, Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta(PIND) for their relentless effort in organizing and sponsoring of peace programmes in Niger Delta.

 

“We the implementing partners, (CEPEJ) have a goal of promoting peace in Africa. We have a wide range of coverage in the six-geo political zones of Nigeria and some African countries.”

 

On his part, resource person for the Programme, Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe, Media Consultant, and CEPEJ's BOT Chairman gave a detailed profile of the organization and its dealings.

 

“Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) a Pan African non-governmental, non-religious, non-political and not-for-profit civil society organization, was established in 2007 as the Niger Delta Re-orientation Project, NDRP. 

 

“In line with its Pan African vision, it was later registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC in Abuja as Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, on January 15, 2010, with Head Office in Warri, Delta State, and branch offices at Kado Estate, Abuja; Ajao Estate, Lagos, Kano, Minna, Yenagoa and Maiduguri. 

 

“CEPEJ utilizes internationally and locally identified strategies, and partners with relevant stakeholders within and outside Nigeria to achieve a peaceful and safer society through active community involvement,” he opined.

 

Speaking on CEPEJ collaboration with PIND on election violence and mitigation, Dr. Orhadahwe said: “CEPEJ has been in the forefront of advocacy for peace, promoting good governance and fundamental human rights through the use of capacity building, sensitization and enlightenment workshops/seminars, to ensure sustainably peaceful environment free from all forms of discrimination and violence in the society. 

 

“PIND intervention programme is aimed at mitigating election-related violence before, during, and after the 2023 general elections in the Niger Delta Region, with its focus on Delta State. 

 

“This is why CEPEJ is deploying its wealth of expertise in advocacy, sensitization as well as engagement of critical stakeholders to support the PIND's intervention programme of preventing and mitigating election violence. 

 

“CEPEJ also leverages on existing partnerships with key local NGOs and CBOs such as Initiative for Sustainable Peace and Entrepenurship Development (ISPED), and also Partners for Peace (P4P), in Delta State to facilitate a multi-sector response to election-related issues that can lead to violence. 

 

“CEPEJ also engages and partners with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, as well as women and youth groups. We partner with these development agents at the grassroots to ensure that project outcomes are mutually beneficial, sustainable and far reaching.  

 

“PIND intervention programme centers on working with these stakeholders to help prevent and mitigate election violence in Delta State. The idea is to build the capacity of the community stakeholders network, CSN, to enable them respond to incidences of election-related conflict in Delta State.” 

 

Dr. Orhadahwe stated further that in order for both organizations to achieve its overall objectives, CEPEJ embarked on sensitization of stakeholders through messages in the mass media, and grassroots communication such as town hall meetings, established and implemented Community Stakeholders Networks (CSNs); and Peace Monitors, trained the above groups on how to monitor and report incidences of election-related conflict, embarked on advocacy visitations, and organized multi-stakeholder fora (town hall meetings) and identified advocacy groups and influencers such as CSOs (civil society organisations), and CBOs (community based organisations), FBOs (faith based organizations) whose scopes of operation covers voter education/awareness campaigns against electoral violence. 

 

“PIND intervention programme seeks to engage INEC, security agencies, youths at risk (ex-militants), opinion leaders and leaders of thought, on the prevalence of election violence in Ethiope East, 

Oshimili South, Sapele, Udu, Uvwie, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, and 

Warri North Local Government Areas of Delta State.

 

“The programme uses the complementary and synergy efforts of PIND in countering election violence ahead of 2023 general elections in the above targeted LGAs, and by extension, Delta State and Nigeria in general,” he averred.

 

Partners for Peace(P4P) State Coordinator, PIND Foundation, 

Amb. Prince D. Ebilade who represented PIND’s Peace-building Manager,  Dr. David Udofia,  highlighted the role played by PIND in supporting peaceful elections in the State and across the Niger Delta region. 

 

Pointing that peace is everybody’s responsibility and the commitment of all stakeholders, to take action by monitoring, reporting and mitigating election violence incidents, before, during and after the elections, just as he called on all stakeholders, political parties and candidates to adhere to the Peace Accord signed and play by the rules, and advise their supporters against perpetrating violence, during and after the elections.

 

Other members of the high table who also talked on the need to embrace peace at all times are: Oyem Blessing, Deputy Director, National Orientation Agency, SP Othuke Omenuwoma, DPO, Koko Division, Nigeria Police Divisional Headquarters, Warri North, Koko, Olorogun James Apoe Whisky, Oboakori  of Ellu kingdom,  DSC Kalu Kalu,l Iro, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Divisional Officer, Udu LGA, and Agbiloko Godwin, Head Unit, South-South 1 Zonal Peace building Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

 

High point of the event was the signing of the Peace Accord by Candidates and members of Political Parties present.

 

The below communique was reached by all participants at the end of the event:

 

1. Participants appealed to INEC officials and security agents to ensure a level playing field for all the contestants by ensuring that they do not take side with any political party.

 

2. Participants equally pledged to eschew any act of violence and not succumb to any bait to be used for political violence, adding that they would sensitize their families, friends and organization members to embrace peaceful polls.

 

3. Participants stated that the poor distribution of election materials at the polling units were prevalent in previous elections and urged the electoral umpire to act promptly by ensuring the early arrival of electoral materials in all polling units to enable the process to kick start on time.

 

4. They called on security agencies to beef up security during the exercise by deploying more personnel to polling units so that voters would exercise their franchise without harassment and intimidation by political opponents. 

 

5. Participants were worried over the no transmission of Presidential and National Assembly results to INEC Server and failure of some BVAS machine in some polling units and advised INEC to ensure that the BVAS function well and backup battery as well as transmit results.

 

6. Finally, they advised INEC to ensure that the votes of Nigerians count.

 

 

 

House of Representatives member, Ereyitomi gives Life Sustaining Empowerment to Constituents 

 

Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi giving his speech 

The member representing the Itsekiris, Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri in the Green Chamber at the Federal Capital City Abuja, Chief (Hon.) Thomas Ereyitomi, JP, has dished out empowerment items comprising Speedboats with new Yamaha outboard engines, fishing nets and tricycles worth over #50millions Naira to his constituents.

 

Hon. Ereyitomi made this donation Wednesday at the rice farm field in Warri in a well attended gathering of PDP faithful’s, saying he was concerned about impacting positively on the lives of the people by giving them these life sustaining items to start a life on their own instead of dishing out cash to them every now and then.

 

He said these items are the real source of making a living by the riverine people in the Warri Federal Constituency but express regrets that previous empowerment gifts found their way into wrong hands and charged the current beneficiaries to put their gifts into good and meaningful use to sustain themselves henceforth and continue to support his ambition to return to the House in the 2023 election on Saturday, promising to continue to fulfil his campaign promise and do more than what he has done now.

 

According to him, “this empowerment will also help to mitigate youth restiveness and other related social vices in the constituency and add value to the living standard of the people both financially and socially”, assuring that better things will come their way as he remain committed, focused and determined in delivering quality people’s oriented representation across the 3 Warri LGAs of Delta State”.

 

He told the people that he has succeeded in sponsoring a bill for the establishment of a Federal Institute of Fishery Research to be sited at Ogidigben and a Federal Polytechnic to be sited at Koko and both bills havey passed though the National Assembly and only awaiting Presidential assent by Mr. President.

 

Hon. Ereyitomi therefore tasked the people to remain faithful with him in his bid to return to House of Representatives.

 

 

 

2023 General Election: Spirit of Winning at all cost must be be discouraged - Ex Gov. Uduaghan

 2023 General Elections: Spirit of Winning at all cost must be discouraged - Ex Governor Uduaghan 

The Immediate Past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has appealed to politicians to shun the spirit of winning at all cost in the forthcoming general elections.

He made the appeal in a statement signed by him and made available to Warri Voice Newspaper on Thursday February 23, 2023.

Parts of the statement reads;

“In the next few hours, most of us will be going to our voting units with our PVCs to vote for our choice candidates, starting with the Presidential and National Assembly elections. The results will produce mainly fresh hands to occupy the various offices being contested for. Hopefully, the fresh hands will produce a new Nigeria.

“The campaigns have been intense with participants and their supporters criss-crossing the country, states, local governments, wards, voting units and even homes. In the media, including the social media, the campaigns have also been quite intense.

 “The international communities have taken keen interest in the campaigns and upcoming elections. Key amongst the issues are the twin challenges of transparency and violence. As Nigerians, the responsibility to handle these challenges is in our hands. 

“The elections should not be a do or die affair. The spirit of winning at all cost must be discouraged. Resorting to violence is evil and devilish. A lost election today, can be won at a future election. However,  a lost life today can never be brought back.

“I am therefore using this medium to appeal to us all to be transparent and avoid any form of violence. We have experienced too much violence in Nigeria and Delta State in particular. Let us go and vote in peace. A peaceful election is a win for us all.”

2023: Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum Emdorses Atiku-Okowa, Oborevwori, Onyeme

 2023: Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum Endorses Atiku-Okowa, Oborevwori, Onyeme

President of the Forum, Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro presenting the endorsement award to Delta State PDP Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori as other members looks on

The Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum, on Monday, February 20th, 2023, endorsed Atiku Abubakar, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for President and Vice President respectively, the State PDP Governorship Candidate, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and his running mate, Sir Monday Onyeme, for the 2023 general elections.

In his speech in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, on the occasion of the adoption, Comrade Isaac Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro, Chairman, Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum, on noted that one sacrosanct fact in their minds is that the coming election is a referendum.

According to him, consequent upon this, the leadership of the Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum, comprising of the Itsekiri National Youths Council, Ijaw Youths Council, Urhobo Youths Council, Isoko National Youths Assembly, Ndokwa Youth Leaders Assembly and Ika Youths Assembly with structures in all polling units, wards, communities and campuses of various higher institutions across the various Senatorial Districts of Delta State and with vast experience on how elections are conducted in Delta State for the past two decades and more are constrained to assert that the coming election is more about our future than their future and so, “we cannot afford to remain neutral”.

He disclosed that the leadership of the Forum set up a committee of eminent and impeccable stakeholders to examine the character, capability, health status, experience, track records, trust coefficient of all the Candidates and their party manifestos and recommend whom to endorse and work for in the general elections.

“After a thorough review of all the recommendations of the committee, the RECOVER NIGERIA Agenda of Atiku/Okowa and their unequivocal commitment towards a restructured Nigeria that represents our collective agitations and the EXPECT MORE Agenda of Sheriff/Onyeme were sanctioned by the leadership of this Forum as meeting the yearnings and aspirations of youths of Delta State who make up over 60% of the total population of the electorate”, he said.

He added that; “Accordingly, an official public endorsement ceremony was directed to be organised to make known to the whole world our position for the 2023 general elections and to back same up by activating all our teeming members spread across every nooks and crannies to go to their polling units as ambassadors of this declaration to deliver accordingly”.

He also said that; “It is therefore on the strength of this that we wish to on behalf of the leaders, stakeholders and teeming members of this Forum present to you this resolve as epitomised in this plaque as a mark of our absolute solidarity to the RESCUE NIGERIA MISSION of His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Presidential candidate and the EXPECT MORE Agenda of Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State PDP Gubernatorial Candidate”.

Leaders of the various ethnic nationalities, including that of Itsekiri National Youths Council, Ijaw Youths Council, Urhobo Youths Council, Isoko National Youths Assembly, Ndokwa Youth Leaders Assembly and Ika Youths Assembly, in their goodwill messages, said that they have all resolved to vote for all candidates of the PDP in the 2023 general elections and that there was no going back.

Responding, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, State PDP Governorship Candidate for the 2023 general elections and National Deputy Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, described the endorsement as a great show of love.

He said that; “Let me assure you that this show of love will not be taken for granted, there is always a pay back time. We are grateful”

IWERE WOMEN PRAYS AHEAD OF 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS, AS COMMODORE NESIAMA GETS MOTHERLY BLESSINGS

 IWERE WOMEN PRAYS AHEAD OF 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS, AS COMMODORE NESIAMA GETS MOTHERLY BLESSINGS 

 

Initiator of Iwere Women Prayer Network, Olori Atuwatse III 

Members of Iwere Women Prayer Network, have yet again come out in their numbers to intercede for Iwere Nation for God to heal the land and choose the right candidates that will take Warri kingdom to greater heights.

 

In her address, Coordinator of the Programme, Bishop (Mrs.) Juliet Olley thanked the women for always creating time to pray for the land 

 

She declared that today’s Programme is mainly to pray for the success of the 2023 general elections and for God to choose the right people who will bring the dividends of democracy to Iwere land.

 

“When the righteous are in place of authority, the people rejoice”, She averred.

 

Bishop Olley who spoke on behalf of the Initiator of the Prayer Network, Olori Atuwatse III said that the next prayer meeting will be a thanksgiving Programme to celebrate God’s faithfulness in their lives as this year will make it one year since the vision was birthed.

 

Bishop Best Odeworitse Agbolayah(5th: L-R), Bishop Juliet Olley(6th: L-R) Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, his lovely wife & other Wives of Chiefs from Warri kingdom 

Giving his speech, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, NNPP Senatorial candidate who was warmly welcomed by the women, appreciated the relentless efforts of the women to find time to pray for growth and development of Warri kingdom.

 

Commodore of Hope as fondly called by his supporters appealed to the women to vote candidates with credible characters and not to vote for party, saying that the era of party is supreme has long gone which has always given birth to bad and stomach infrastructure representatives, especially in Iwere land.

 

“I have come to you all like the Sons of Issachar who understood the time to seek for your prayers as mothers to be able to secure the Senatorial seat in the forthcoming elections as my victory is the very hope and change that we need at this time”.

 

On his part, Bishop Best Odeworitse Agbolayah who took his sermon from the book of II Chronicles 7:14 said that it is only God Almighty that can completely heal the land, even as he appealed to the people to turn from their wicked ways so that God’s mercy will speak for the land.

 

Bishop Agbolayah who led the women through various session of prayers for the throne and the land, admonished the women to show love to one another at all times.

 

Climax of the event held today Wednesday February 7, 2023 at Olu’s Palace (Aghofen), Warri was the heartfelt prayer session rendered to God by the women on behalf of Commodore Omatseye Nesiama to achieve a landslide victory in the elections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warri MSP holds 2022 Progress Report, as PIND receives award of excellence

 Warri MSP holds 2022 Progress Report, as PIND receives award of excellence 

 

Members of Warri MSP

The Warri Multi-Stakeholders Platform, a nonpartisan peace building platform initiated by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), held its progress report on its activities for 2022 and mapped out plans for the new year.

The event, which key stakeholders attended, was held on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at G.T Guest House, Warri.

After welcoming the attendees, the co-chairman of Warri MSP, Dr. Jeffery Wilkie, listed some of the achievements and challenges encountered by the Platform in the previous year.

He encouraged members to put more effort into the activities of the organization.

The other co-chairman, Chief Comrade Sheriff Mulade, spoke on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) aspect of the Act., stating that the funds accrued to the host communities should be used by rural dwellers to protect and preserve their environment.

Publisher of Warri Voice Newspaper, Mr. Femi Odonmeta presenting the award to Mr. Tuoyo Blessing Omagbitse 

A representative of PIND, Mr. Tuoyo Omagbitse, said PIND's core goals were to reduce poverty and promote peace in the Niger Delta region through economic development and peace building interventions.

He said some of PIND's projects included facilitating alternative clean energy solutions for remote coastal communities that are off the national grid. 

Others were enabling youth employment, empowering local civil society organizations, and influencing governments policies, programmes and practices that significantly benefit the poor and marginalized. 

“PIND also supports gender equality and social inclusion for women, youth, and people with disabilities,” he added.

Mr. Tuoyo said that with the passing of the PIA, PIND will continue to work with communities to ensure a seamless implementation of the Act.  

Climax of the event was the presentation of an award of excellence to PIND by the Publisher of Warri Voice Newspaper, Mr. Femi Odonmeta, as the "Most Proactive Interventionist Organisation of the year 2022".