HOSTCON Youth Council hails Senator Ned Nwoko on his new  appointment

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Youths of the Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council Of Nigeria (HOSTCON) have described as ” commendable” the appointment of the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, Sen. Ned Nwoko as the Chairman, Senate Ad- Hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft.

According to HOSTCON, the appointment of Sen. Ned Nwoko by the 10th Senate under the leadership of Sen God’swill Akpabio as a game-changer for the entire oil and gas value chain in the nation’s oil industry.

The Host Communities Producing Oil Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council Of Nigeria under the leadership of the National President, Comrade Emmanuel Fiawei Path finder, stated in a statement issued via electronic mail, that the Senator Ned Nwoko-led Committee will salvage the nation’s oil and gas sector and the economic woes of the country.

According to HOSTCON, ” it would never be business as usual for the saboteurs, both locally and internationally because he has already hit the ground running, and Nigerians would see what has never happened in the fight against oil and gas thieves no matter who they are.”

“As a round peg in a round hole, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Crude Oil Theft and Other Related Matters, his underground strategies would take these thieves by storm and surprise, and this would usher in lasting solutions in curbing the menace of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and illegal bunkering activities in the creeks of Niger Delta region and the hinterlands.”

“The Senator Ned Nwoko we know, is a man of courage and master strategist, who has all it takes to rid the oil and gas sector of this ugly menace of sabotage by some devilish persons who have over the years stolen our common patrimony for their self aggrandizement.”

“We must say that Senator Ned Nwoko, a son of the Niger Delta understands the region so deeply and has broad knowledge about the nefarious activities of these plunders of our national wealth, and knows how to marshal out his strategies to change the ugly narrative in the oil and gas sector.”

” His appointment is highly welcomed by all and sundry and due to his pedigree and sagacity as a patriotic, detribalized, and true Nigerian leader who has distinguished himself in serving the nation with national conscience.”

“We also want to assure Nigerians that Senator Ned Nwoko’s 100 days in this saddle will end oil theft and would be resounding and reverberating because we have seen the handwriting already, and that it would bring about a stupendous growth and development of the oil and gas sector in no distant time as he had already commenced the job by leading a courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, seeking a partnership with the military to curb the menace, and also has set up and inaugurated a surveillance team for overt and covert oversight on oil facilities and institutions.”

“Interestingly, the committee has called for strengthening of intelligence-sharing mechanisms, surveillance operations and fostering of seamless inter-agency collaboration to dismantle the complex networks behind crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region and across the international borders.”

“Recently, he affirmed the The committee’s unwavering commitment and sense of patriotism in its resolve to implement watertight policies, deploy cutting-edge security technology, and ensure that those who undermine the national wealth are held accountable.”

“He also said that the task at hand transcends revenue protection; it is about securing the future, bolstering economic resilience, and creating an environment conducive for national progress.”

“0We want Nigerians to be confident about Senator Ned Nwoko because his track record based on his background as an international criminal lawyer. He has the expertise to ensure these thieves are brought to justice, and also his solid performance on the floor of the Senate and impact on his senatorial district is amazing as he has moved numerous life changing motions and bills been sponsored by distinguished Senator Ned Nwoko on the floor of the Red Chambers within the one and half years under the President Bola Tinubu ‘Renewed Hope’ mantra has drastically transformed the lives of his people.”

“Therefore at this juncture, the leadership of the HOSTCON YOUTH COUNCIL OF NIGERIA, under comrade Emmanuel Fiawei Pathfinder, National Exco, elders and Board of Trustees, throw our full weight behind Sen Ned Nwoko-led Ad hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft and Other Related Matters.”

“We at HOSTCON, being the most critical umbrella body that is the ears, eyes, strength, energy and heart beat of the nation’s oil and gas producing communities in the creeks as well the strength and the life-wire of the nation’s economy will partner with the 10th Senate under the leadership of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akp, through the Chairman of the Senate Add-Hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Sen Ned Nwoko, the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in Delta State to join hands together for us to foster a collective responsibility to salvage the economy of our dear country by all means from the hands of this sophisticated oil thieves in collaboration with their foreign counterparts in this illicit business bent to cripple out economy.”

By David Owei, Bayelsa

The National Association of Seadogs—Pyrates Confraternity (NAS-PC) has called for a review of laws mitigating against cases of gender-based discriminations and violence in the society.

The (NAS-PC), in conjunction with gender based advocacy groups including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State and the Do Foundation, however agreed that despite the needed review, there is the need of addressing gender-based biases at the homestead, noting that perpetrators of gender-based discriminations and violence are often fathers, brothers, and sons.

The Capoon of the Oxbow Marino Deck of the National Association of Seadogs—Pyrates Confraternity (NAS-PC), Engr. Adogbeji Egbonoje, while speaking during a state-wide radio discussion programme on Radio Bayelsa 97.1 FM, Yenagoa. This year’s theme, “For all Women and Girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment, stressed that paying attention to how sons are raised and groomed would have a profound impact on how they relate with women as adults.

He emphasized the importance of addressing gender-based biases at the homestead, noting that perpetrators of gender-based discriminations and violence are often fathers, brothers, and sons.

He stressed that paying attention to how sons are raised and groomed would have a profound impact on how they relate with women as adults.

He also highlighted the significance of cultivating the mind of the girl child from infancy, instilling confidence in young girls as they venture into the world as adults,” This, he believed, would empower them to withstand negative peer pressures and chart their paths in life.”

Also speaking on the radio discussion programme, the National Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),Barr. Ebiere Emmanuella and the Former Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bayelsa State, Dr. Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry also shared expert insights on the historical context of International Women’s Day, progress made in gender equality, and the importance of education and policy changes in addressing systemic barriers.

The two legal experts pointed out the the roles of organizations like FIDA and the NBA in supporting marginalized women and pointed out contending issues of workplace equality, women’s leadership, and the role of men as allies in the fight for gender equality.

By David Owei, Bayelsa.

The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council, Tonye Yemoleigha has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission for lighting up Bayelsa.

He also thanked the board for indulging in other corporate social responsibilities especially in the education sector which he said will help and uplift the region later in life.

Speaking on Thursday in Yenagoa when the council paid a courtesy call on Godknows Alameiseigha, the state representative and director of NDDC, Yemoleigha maintained that operation light up Bayelsa was a welcomed development.

He however pleaded with the board to do more especially in the rural communities maintaining that because their presence is not all that felt in the rural communities, it seems that they are not doing more.

He promised more collaboration with the board adding that the relationship will go a long way to sanitizing the society.

He said:” The job of the media is to hold political office holders and the government to account and to also highlight their achievements so that development can be felt by the people.

“We owe it as a duty to report criminal activities and partner with security agencies to see how we can reduce criminality and that is what we have been doing in our engagement.

“We are all pointing at the directions of development including NDDC and it is only when we have that understanding and synergy that we will do a lot together for the good of our people.

“We will deepen this relationship and we ask our people to always be law abiding and own projects.When you see one, be it projects from government or interventionist agencies like NDDC,you don’t need to vandalize them.

“While everybody is talking development in your community you shouldn’t be the one to take away development from you community.”

Speaking earlier, the state director of Nigeria Delta Development Commission, Bayelsa State, Godknows Alameyeseigha had asked the media to help in sensitizing the populace on the need to secure projects sighted in their domains.

He said that it is only when the citizens do so that projects will be started and finished adding that some parts of the projects are always removed before they are completed

Maintaining that NDDC projects are not always abandoned but stalled, he said that some of those issues arise because of constant change of baton in the board stating that the current managing director should be allowed to stay and do more.

Thanking President Bola Tinubu for appointing Samuel Ogbuku as the managing director of NDDC, he asked for more synergy between the board and Bayelsa State Government to enable them achieve the aim of developing the state.

He said: “We should educate our people on the need to own our projects and not vandalize the projects. Look at this operation light up Bayelsa, could you believe that people are going to remove the solar lights.

“Our people can’t go to rural communities now for that project because militant are on the river.”

He pleaded with the state and local government to look after the projects already sited by NDDC maintaining that after building, the projects are always handed over to the state and local governments to manage.

Maintaining that NDDC can’t handle all the projects with only 164 billion naira that is yearly allocated to the state, he called on the state government to collaborate with the board so that most of these projects can be initiated and actualized.

“State Government should advise which community should have what project. Our national Assembly members should also try their best adding that boards should be allowed to stay for sometime before being dissolved instead changing them at intervals.

“We should forget our party affiliations and come together, form a synergy to build our state.

“I commission you Journalists today to be project monitoring ambassadors. Help us to monitor these projects and sensitize the populace so that the society will be a better place to stay.”