By David Owei,Bayelsa

The Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Sen. Douye Diri has described the NYSC as the corner stone for national identity.

Gov. Diri, who made this known at the opening/ swearing -in ceremony of Prospective Corps members deployed to the state for the 2025 Batch B, Stream 1 service year at NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Boro Town, said for many years, despite its challenges, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme has been a cornerstone of national identity, defined by shared values and commitment to unity amidst diversity.

Gov. Diri, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Alfred Kemepado Nimizigha, encouraged the corps members to the nation’s legacy bequeathed through the programme and contribute positively at making it their own.

He said ” As you take your first steps as members of this distinguished programme, I encourage you to embrace the privilege of contributing to this legacy and making it your own.”

He also encouraged them to consider Bayelsa State their own by exploring the various legitimate pursuits available to them,”During your brief time in Bayelsa State, I trust that you have begun to appreciate the renowned hospitality and warmth of our people.”

” You will find that our state is rich in opportunities, and I invite you to explore the various legitimate pursuits available to you. Remember, the opportunity of a lifetime must always be seized during the lifetime of that opportunity.”

,”Your time here is not just about service; it is about personal growth and seizing the possibilities that lie ahead.”

He encouraged them to maintain a harmonious environment within the camp by adhering strictly to the established rules and guidelines,”Discipline and respect for the surroundings will make their experience both productive and enjoyable.”

“As I often advise the youth, focus on the significant aspects that will sustain your future. It is easy to become distracted by fleeting pleasures, but the fruits of your labour will eventually lead you to the things you truly desire. Remain calm, stay focused, and you will discover that success will come to you in due course.”

He emphasized that, the government of Assured Prosperity remained steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the facilities of the Permanent Orientation Camp so that it is comfortable and conducive for orientation.

“Moreover, you can rest assured that wherever you are posted, we have taken adequate measures to ensure your peace and security throughout your service year.”

“As you embark on this new journey, I wholeheartedly welcome you and wish you continued success, good health, and prosperity in all your endeavours. This experience will shape your character and offer invaluable lessons that you will carry with you throughout your life.”

He extended his heartfelt gratitude to the leadership and staff of the National Youth Service Corps for their invaluable contributions to the nation.

According to him. their dedication to instilling the principles of integrity, patriotism, and service in the youth is vital for fostering a sense of national unity and pride.

Earlier In her welcome remarks, the State Coordinator, Mrs Okpalifo Obiageli Charity, highlighted the objectives of the orientation course and advised corps members deployed to the state to embrace the service year with all the seriousness, ” it deserves because careful and deliberate programmes have been well designed to adequately prepare and equip them for optimum performance.”

Mrs Okpalifo also enjoined them to shun all forms of social vices and actions detrimental to the image of the scheme during orientation course and in their various places of primary assignments .

She specially thanked the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state Senator Douye Diri for his immense support to NYSC.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

Patients and in Bayelsa State were on Wednesday stranded as public hospitals in Bayelsa abruptly discharged patients as nurses across the country begin a 7 day warning strike to press home their demands on the issues affecting them.

The strike action embarked by the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), affected the proper functioning of the public hospitals in the state in the early hours of the day, as union leaders were on ground to monitor the compliance.

When our correspondent visited the Primary Health Centre in Amarata community, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, the busy health centre was not even open as at 9am, a situation where the locals said it might be due to the strike.

Also, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), few patients were seen roaming around some wards without prompt attention.

Some patients said that they were still waiting for doctors’ attention after arriving the hospital as early as 8am.

Also, those who said they were on appointment with the doctors on Wednesday were also seen roaming around, waiting for attention.

The Chairman of NANNM at the Federal Medical University (FMC), Mr Liberia Woyengibarafagha Progress, who led the enforcement team at FMC, said there will be no skeletal services when the warning strike lasted.

He said: “We have nine point demands, in Nigeria, they say nurses should not travel out of the country, and we have been suffering all these while taking care of our patients and we have been doing our best, at this point we asking the government to give us our needs, so that we can also take care of our patients.

“Our demands are, government should gazette our nursing scheme of service, we are asking for the implementation of industrial act, 2012, upward review of professional allowance for nurses and midwife, employment of more nursing personnel and adequate provision of health facilities equipments.

“Currently, if you look at the hospitals, most times you don’t have equipments, it’s even hard for government to even provide light for us in the hospital environment, we have been suffering to take care of our patients, we are saying no, enough is enough.

“We are also asking for the creation of nursing department, in the federal ministry, nursing department is not there, everything boiled down to one particular department, which I don’t want to mention, but we the nurses know that we are the majority in the health sector, and we are not being recognize in Nigeria, other countries, they recognize nurses and we are not being recognize here.

“We are also asking for inclusion nurses in the headship of health policy, what I mean is that most of our boards, nurses are not there, and we form the heart of the health sector, and we are not being included, how do we take decisions, it’s only few states in Nigeria that they always appoint nurses as Commissioner for health.

“We are also asking for centralization of internship posting for graduates nurses, federal government should take over the posting of internship posting for nurses as it’s done for doctors, we are also asking for consultancy cadre for nurses, there should be nurse consultants and nurse practitioners.

“This strike is a total shut down, no plan for skeletal services, this strike had to do with federal, state and local government nurses nationwide, and currently, the hospital has discharge so many of their patients, we don’t have patients at the wards, so even the patients are suffering now.

Also speaking, the National Treasurer of NANNM, Federal Health institution Sector and South South zonal Coordinator, Comrade Amos Ombufa, said after the 7 days warning strike in accordance with the labour law, the Union will also give the Federal Government another 21 days ultimatum to meet the needs of the nurses, stating that if at the end of ultimatum, the demands are not met, they will proceed on indefinite strike.

“I urged nurses not to relent, we should press home our demands, as we are speaking, all the federal hospitals across the nation are totally shut down, especially in the South South zone where I’m in charge, there is total compliance, there is no provision for skeletal services.” He said.

The Public Relations Officer at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Mr Akpedi Bernard, said though it was unfortunate that nurses were proceeding on strike, adding that the management envisaging the strike, put the house together by mobilizing the doctors to see the skeletal services they could provide.

He said: “With regards to strike declared by NANNM, it’s unfortunate that as a management here, we are not happy about it, particularly in FMC Yenagoa, is the only tertiary federal health facility in Bayelsa State and we have the responsibility of taking care of more than 70% health care needs of the people, it’s the only principal referral centre that we have here too, so when strike occured like this, it really affect us negatively.

“However, the management envisaging the strike, put the house together by way of mobilizing the doctors to see the skeletal services they could provide, off course, the very senior nurses, those at the management cadre will support too, so that those with very critical health needs, we will still be attending to them and maybe some very urgent cases that may come too, while the strike is ongoing.” He said.

By David Owei,Bayelsa

The project coordinator of the Azikel Group Aviation Training Programme, Comrade Robert Igali has absolved the Group of any wrongdoing in the p𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 slated for the United States of America, declaring that it is genuine and meant to Support young Bayelsans in pursuit of aviation career.

Azikel Aviation Training programme, according to Robert Igali, is a self-prestigious philanthropic initiative to supporting Bayelsa youths aspiring for aviation training in Pilots for Helicopter, Fixed Wing Aeroplane and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.

Comrade Igali, who made this known in Yenagoa while reacting to an online report accusing the Azikel group of wrongdoing and allegations raised over a purported 49 pages petition filed before the State House of Assembly by the duo of Engr. Ezekiel Kariyai Daukoru and Engr. Yebei Ebilate Amabebe against the company, said the Azikel Aviation Training programme is a philanthropic programme without any political affiliation of financial benefit to the sponsor, it was for the sole purpose of supporting Young Bayelsan who are interested in pursuit of aviation career and to obtain the best training and return to Nigeria.

He commended the President of the Azikel Group, Dr. Eruani Azibabu Godbless (CFR) for the initiative and repeatedly out to encourage and empower Bayelsa youths to become self reliant and create a career part in life.

He said “Application were called from young Bayelsa free of charge and no payment of any form was requested from the candidates and all persons who applied were screened for qualification as the process was from the inception a 3 stage qualification vis Qualified as person from Bayelsa with science first degree.”

” And within the age of 25 to 35, Pass a computer Base Test after studying the materials which company will provided for you and Admitted into the Aviation Training Programme with commencement as a Trainee in the Azikel Aviation Hanger where successful candidate will be mentored, supervised and engaged in character vetting, recommendation from there supervisor to proceed abroad and character stress with conviction that candidates will return to Nigeria after the training in the United States.”

” While during the In house Aviation Hanger understudies’ candidates will be paid net monthly of N205,200 and the character vetting and stress test was design to illicit any form of distrust or tendency for candidates possibility to elope from the United States upon the been sent abroad.”

“Two persons emerges selected after passing the CBT conducted on the 28th of February 2024. The candidates were immediately placed into the Aviation Training Programme.” in month of March 2024, with a monthly salary, the responsibility of the trainees is to understudy in-house engineers and pilots working with Azikel Aviation.”

“The participation of trainee during this In-House understudy will give the company a better opportunity to access the candidates character and personality and particularly the return of these person to Nigeria, since the company will be standing as guarantee to the US Embassy for the return of these candidate to Nigeria after their study.”

Comrade Igali said after 16 months ( March 24 to June of 2025) of practical attachment to the Azikel Aviation Hanger to satisfy endurance, capacity and security screening, the duo failed and showed that they are merely out to cause unimaginable diplomatic problems with the United States Government if eventually sent to the United States.

Igali said for the 16 months duration the duo were with the Azikel Aviation Training Programme with in-house practical understudy with company Engineers and Pilots they were placed under a N205,200 monthly from March of 2024 and until June 2025 when they resigned from the Programme by themselves.

“The duo have earned from the company during these practical in house under training with the sum of N3,283,200 for not doing any work for the company but being trained, character vetting and while awaiting recommendations of the aviation engineers and pilot supervisor and security vetting.”

“It should be noted very clearly that Azikel Aviation is not engaged or involved in commercial flight (Chatter of Schedule) services for it to be assumed that the candidates were working for the Azikel Aviation and providing commercial benefit.”

” The Azikel Aviation is solely for the provision of flights for the Owner, Family, Friend and Company Executive for their Private business travels.”

He also noted that during the In-House understudy at the company Aviation Hangar reports were received by management from colleagues from other Nigerian Youths working at the Aviation Hanger of the two candidate of been not dedicated and disloyal to their supervisors in the in house training.”

” The candidates were rather complaining of too long character vetting and character test and they want to travel to the United States. This report from the candidates’ colleagues were concerning and management decided to further look very closely into the complains.”

” The complains received were established and true and the candidates were warned and advised to be dedicated to their in house training and a recommendation from there supervisors is a pre-requisite for their training.”

“On the 26th of March 2025, company established and commenced the admission procedure with the training facility in the United States OSM Aviation Academy and the candidates were informed and involved in the admission procedure.”

” While company has commenced fully engagement with training facility in the United, management received a more frightened security report of candidate planning to disappear in the United States immediately upon their arrival in the US.”

“That the candidates have commenced the sales of there belonging in Nigeria and that immediately they secure the visa they WILL NEVER return to Nigeria. The candidates began making this plans when it became obvious and certain that there departure to the United States is now very near.”

“The issue became of grave concern, particularly when these candidates are been paid monthly, why will they begging to sell there belongings, knowing vey well that their training is for them to obtain the best aviation training in the US and to return to Nigeria, and also knowing very well that the company is going to be the guarantor to the US Embassy for their retune to Nigeria.”

“The Company decide to investigate in very serious details the claims of these candidates plans of not returning to Nigeria and also why there supervisor has not given their recommendation of good character for them to proceed abroad.”

“While company commenced a detailed investigation into the security concerns of these candidates running away in the United States and company established that the candidates are selling of their belonging which should be their tier to Nigeria, the candidates became aware of the investigation and then commended a social media blackmail of the company efforts and eventually the candidates resigning from the Aviation Programme in June 2025.”

” When it became very clearly obvious that they have told friends, neighbour colleagues and the information from the security was corrected as they have sold there properties and belongs to run away immediately they arrive into the United States, without even participating in the programme.”

” It was also established that the non-recommendation from their supervisor at the Aviation Hanger was also known because of their their poor attitude to the training and rather been of extreme desire to travel to the United States, and this was one of the reason their supervisor has withheld the recommendation of the candidate for unethical and non-committal to the in house training.”

He also added that when the Azikel group discovered the red flags through repeated warnings and as the candidate resigned from the programme, “it was God’s mercy in favour of the company not to have experience where persons sponsored to the United States eloped.”

He however made available copies of the resignation letters of the two selected and aggrieved candidates to newsmen and the email from the Aviation school based in United States in which the admission into the institution remained pending and awaiting end of evaluation process as agreed between Azikel group and the school.

On the claims that they sold out their belongings during training, Igali pointed out that the duo are paid as and when due during the 16 months training at the Azikel Aviation Hanger, “I don’t know why they are claiming to sell property. The only reason they are selling property is because they have concluded on plans NEVER to return to Nigeria.”