[dropcap]A[/dropcap] total of 29,525 SS 3 students in Delta State have resumed school on Tueday 4^th August, 2020 for academic activities preparatory to their West African School Certificate Examination coming up later this month.

The State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, gave this figure during a media parley in Asaba On Monday 3^rd August, 2020 where he talked about the arrangements made for a successful reopening of schools and efforts made at ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic does not spread among the teachers and students.

Chief Ukah stated that apart from providing all the necessary protocol materials in schools in the state, the usual morning assembly and prayers will no longer be holding, instead, prayers will now hold in each class that is to be occupied by 20 students only to ensure physical distancing, just as temperature tests will be carried out on the teachers and students daily.

The Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner revealed that a teacher and a student will be Minders in each class to enforce strict compliance with the protocols that have been outlined by the National Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC).

He said that school hostels have also been arranged in such a way that appropriate physical distancing is maintained by boarding students, adding that students are expected to be in the school premises only when necessary.

Chief Ukah disclosed that everything necessary to curtail the spread of the pandemic on resumption of schools have been put in place by the ministry, in conjunction with the Ministries of Health and Environment.

The Commissioner expressed gratitude to the state Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his support and cooperation in the provision of all the needed items.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Publisher of Newsbreeze Magazine has congratulated the Special Assistant on legislative Matters to the Chief Whip of the Delta State House of Assembly,Chief Austin Ndinwa (Okemili), on his  birthday.

The Publisher of Newsbreeze Magazine , Philip Ike Abiagom in a Press Statement made available to our correspondent in Asaba, Delta State on behalf of the entire Management of Newsbreeze described Okemili as incredible leader, charismatic and endearing icon and wished many fruitful years ahead.

According to the statement; “Indeed, the Anioma nation is very proud to have such a selfless and courageous leader as you. You have not only written your name in the history books, but your indelible footprints are in the hearts of the people”.

“The entire  Oshimili North are delighted to mark this auspicious day with you as you have been a role model and a source of inspiration to Youths”, he said.

Ibusa people keep saying and loudly too that your type is rare. A warrior that frontally confronts his enemies and each time comes out victorious.You are a man loves by everybody, even those who hates you often cannot decipher why they so do. You are a man of uncommon philanthropy and gifted by God of Ibusa.

Okemili has seen the valley and been to the mountain in the course of life. We must always be ready to brace up for the valley, much as we are enthusiastic about ascending the mountain. We must always ask God to put us at the centre of His will whichever way life’s vicissitude takes us.

For Chief Austin Ndinwa, I extend to you my hearty congratulations on your birthday and urge You to keep up with the well defined life of FAITH that you live and the charity that you so generously exude.
We wish you long life and prosperity. Once again, Congratulations.”

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile some people were born great, some achieve greatness on their own. The like of Ifeanyi Odita, retired Air force officer aka “Air force man” is being celebrated everyday, not because he was born with a silver spoon, but because of consistency in determination to succeed, and today, he is not only a successful man, but a successful man that is helping people to achieve success.

Today, as we speak, Air force man is adding value to leaders who are multiplying value to others. He is a grassroots leader that is developing leaders, and a leader that has inspired hope in Oshimili North Local Government people. Today, Ifeanyi Odita aka Air force man* is a man of many parts; a foremost philanthropist, farmer, servant of God, a quintessential politician, entrepreneur, CEO of several companies etc.

Words are not enough to describe or celebrate this humble great man, He deserves all the ovation we could offer him. Indeed, we are all proud of this great Icon for his enviable and legendary achievements in Military, business, politics etc despite all odds.

Air force man is someone who looks up for direction even as he continues to soar higher by the special grace of God.

A compassionate leader who has consistently for years continues to make people happy. He is Humble, jovial, loving, generous, easy going, accommodating etc. Not temperamental  because of his military back ground, he is a man that allows people to express their views on any given issue before coming up with his decision even as a boss or leader.

Truly, Ifeanyi Odita  aka “Air force man” is a man of the people and a man of many parts.

Excerpts:

Can we meet you Sir?

I am ifeanyi Odita,a retired military officer from  Akwukwu- Igbo, the Headquarter of Oshimili North Local Government Area.I just left the service and I came back to my town and join Politics because I want to serve my people and am equally a stake holder in the (PDP) Politics of Oshimili North local Government Area of Delta State.

Sir, How are you coping with the local Political class in your LGA as a retired Military officer with different orientation?

The Political class in my local government area are my brothers and friends that am familiar with before now. When I joined the local politics of my town, the first thing I did was to understudy the ranking of my party members. I learned from them and I discovered that the cardinal responsibilities of any politician is total loyalty, which is part of me as a trained military officer, because in the military we believe in discipline.

What are your plans and prospects in the next Local government Election, Are you Vying for any position?

No, am not running for election.

Sir, few candidates have declared interest to be the next Chairman of your local Government, who are you supporting and why?

For now, I have not seen any serious candidate , I only know one serious  person that is contesting for the seat  and he is Hon. Ambrose Elofu- Dike  and I think he is the most qualified person for the job because of certain qualities. He is a visionary leader that exhibits and epitomizes consistency, competence, capacity, connection, and character with strong leadership ability. The success story of this great man is a great lesson to the youths to take their fate in their hands if they hope to control the destiny of Nigeria before too long.

According to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe” There is plenty of room at the top because very few people travel beyond the average route. ” And so, most of us seem satisfied to remain within the confines of mediocrity”. The Ibusa Born Political Juggernaut Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike needs no much introduction. Just as the People will always say that “A good Market sells its self and it is never kept out of sight”, so is Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike who has kept indelible Marks in the heart of The good People of Oshimili North Local Government Area and Beyond.

Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike is not only a charismatic leader, he is a compassionate person. The people of Oshimili North in Delta State are not only happy and grateful to have him as their next grassroots chairman, but thankful that such a quintessential person is willing and prepared to serve us.

He has been fighting for  children, for the poor and destitute, sometimes against establishments and elites. But as a leader, he is greatly admired across the political spectrum. Even those who disagree with his politics can draw inspiration from his life. Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike is a patriotic Nigerian who could be classified as a ROLE MODEL whose footstep could be followed by the growing generations as a result of the successes recorded by his personality by dint of hard work and enviable conducts.

Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike is the most experienced candidate for the job, we all can recall that  in 2019 election, our party(PDP) elders and stake holders in Oshimili North appointed him to be the Campaign Director- General (Triple DG) for three of our candidates namely, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi for Senate, Princess Pat Ajudua for Delta State House of Assembly seat and Hon. Louis Ndukwe for our local government chairmanship seat, and these candidates won their respective elections. So for a man who was entrusted with such role is the best and most experienced person to take over as our next local government chairman.

Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike is a very loyal party man who has alot of regards and respect for his party, for the past ten years, he had wanted to contest for various position but as a loyalist our leaders always appeal to him to step down and support their preferred candidate of our party and he will always comply and support the candidate nominated by our great party leaders in our local government  with his money and everything to make sure our party wins the election, so I believe it is now his turn to serve the people of Oshimili North local Government.

I can remember vividly during the tenure of Barrister Ben Okonkwo, the Oshimili North LGA awarded the contract of Ibusa market to Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike and he executed the contract with his own fund and it is the biggest market in our local today, I am very sure that our Local Government Council is still owing him till date. Why can’t we give such  a man the authority to pilot the affairs of our council.  it is true that no one is entitled to a top political position, everyone has to earn it through his or her deeds, and each is only as good as his or her command of the issues, but Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike is destined for this  “Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike has endeared himself to his people.

Sir, You are so sure that Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike will take your  LGA to the next level, Why?

Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike believes in public service as a honorable profession and in government as a vehicle for helping all citizens get their chance for high quality of life. His accomplishments speak for themselves. This is not about Dike or his ego. He is known for humility, graciousness, and gentility in the party; he does not engaged in partisan contests to win for the sake of winning. The goals are so important that he is willing to work with political opponents to reach agreement on measures that serve the people. Negotiating by calling on higher principles made him effective with principled members of the other party.

Dike believes that the work as a grassroots chairman is more important than title or position. Business leaders should heed that lesson, above all: Performance, mission, and endurance are possible because the people we support and care about also support us.  Only God Makes a King, when God uplifts a Man, who is he to stand and say no? Nobody…

 Sir,  what advice do you have for the  Oshimili North PDP Elders?

I want our party leaders to give Ambrose Elofu Elue-Dike the ticket of our great party to enable him contest for the Chairmanship position in the next coming local government  election, because he is the most experienced, tested and trusted party member. For now based on the names we are hearing that are interested in the seat, I think he is one of the best among them in every ramification he is there and he will be there for us.

We all should support to enable him take our local government to the next level.

Sir, As a grassroots politician like you said, how can you access the present Local Government Chairman of your LGA?

I can say that our present local government chairman Hon. Louis Ndukwe has done his best, we all know how the system affects their performance , with the little resources available to him ,I will score him high.

As a grassroots Politician in Oshimili North  LGA, how can you access your representative at the  Delta State House of Assembly ,Princess(Mrs) Pat Ajudua?

Jesus! She is a wonderful woman and a mother, she is doing marvelously well, why I said she is a wonderful woman is because she carries  everybody along and she is the light of the local government.  she has empowered alot of people as I know in my local government mostly youths and women. I know that she cannot empower everybody, I believe she emulate that gesture from her husband Chief Fred Ajudua who is a foremost philanthropist , so the spirit of giving and touching lives is a trend in the family.

Sir, You have a serving senator from your local government area, what can you say about him?

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is our overall leader, a true patriot, the author of ‘Doctrine Of Necessity’, a stabilizing voice in our democracy, my mentor, my boss, the longest-serving active Politician in Delta State . His sterling leadership qualities have provided an essential stabilizing force in the Red Chamber.

His transformation has a parallel with the transformation of Saul to Paul in the Holy Bible. His conversion to democracy has been total. “As a Senator that leads and organized his colleagues; as an unprecedented two-term Senator he has not only stabilized the Senate and therefore the polity especially at a critical time he has also given the Senate character. My Senator has become one of the most outstanding figures of our democracy and its symbol of forthrightness and courage.

He is a perpetual lesson in service and we are proud to learn at his  feet. My Senator just marked his Sixty-Three birthday and we thank God for his life; a life of many stories; a life of service to man and to God; a life of fulfillment. We can only pray that the Almighty whom we have so faithfully served grants him many more years in good health so that he can continue in his service to the Nation and humanity. Like wine, he is only getting better with age.

Deltans are now referring to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa as Road master, do you believe he has done well on roads?

Gov. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa is the best governor ever produced in Delta. If you compare him with the previous governors that have ruled Delta State, if you look at what he has put on ground, our governor has not stayed 8years, but he has made a very good landmark and a very good impact. Infact,  he is the Roads Master based on his performance . He has linked almost all the roads in Delta State, I have been privileged to travel round Delta State . He is a wonderful governor, I think if there is anyway for him to come back for third tenure, I will be part of those people who will vote him again.

Finally,what will you like people to remember you for?

I want to be remembered as a man who served his country in the military  diligently and retired. A man who  joined politics to serve the common man and touch the lives of his people, I will also like to be known with truthfulness, honesty and tranquility. .

Thank you very much.

By: Ike Abiagom & Glory Ogoh

[dropcap]J[/dropcap]ames Obori, former Governor of Delta State, has countered allegations by Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta, linking him to contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Ibori said contrary to Akpabio’s allegation he did not receive any contract from NDDC.

Akpabio had named Ibori as one of those who benefitted from the contract racketeering in NDDC.

However, the former governor urged Akpabio to “calm down” and focus on carrying out his duties.

A statement by Ibori’s Media Assistant, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, said: “On hearing the news of the alleged Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contract awarded to him this morning, from the former Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as published in a newspaper and other online publications, he did not want to join in the ‘dancing in the market square’ going on in the NDDC right now.

“He has decided to make this clarification for the records because friends and associates inundated him with phone calls this morning. So, he is stating categorically that he never solicited for, or was awarded, or indeed executed, any contract with NDDC or any government agency, at any time, for that matter.

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ithout doubt, Nigerians must have been thoroughly entertained by the ongoing probe of the alleged malfeasance in Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the agency established in 2000 to ameliorate the sufferings of the nine oil-bearing states of the Niger Delta region. But with the recent revelations emanating from the investigation, it has become obvious that the NDDC has invariably become a drainpipe through which public funds are siphoned.

Chief Ambrose Elofu-Dike,The Chairman of Umudike Farms Limited and Hotel De Espana on Saturday said no stone should be left unturned in the investigation of alleged misappropriation of over N81 billion by the Interim Management Committee of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Grassroots Publishers had reported that the Senate on Tuesday set up a seven-man ad-hoc committee to probe the financial transactions, which amounted to over  N81 billion carried out by the IMC on behalf of the NDDC within the last three months and report back to the House in one month.

The call for an investigation is sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Thompson George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East). He added that aside from financial recklessness, the IMC also indulged in an alleged arbitrary sack of management staff of the commission.

Reacting, Chief Ambrose Elofu-Dike, called on the National Assembly to recommend to the appropriate authorities that the IMC and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to rescue themselves from further administering the affairs of the commission.

The statement reads: It is common knowledge in the public sphere that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission has been accused by several persons and organizations of engaging in fraud, looting, pillaging and ransacking of the scarce resources belonging to the Niger Delta Region. The supervising Minister of the commission, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has equally been severally accused of executing an agenda of grievous larceny, greed and revenge”. However, the lingering public outrage against the IMC and Senator Akpabio regarding their (mis) management of the affairs of NDDC has made it mandatory for us to speak up as stakeholders in the good governance project. Senator Akpabio and the IMC are alleged to be running the commission in secrecy while running away with money belonging to the region. It is our duty to seek clarifications and that’s why we are here.

“It is, however, germane that we raise concern regarding the loud murmuring in the public space that the Minister has been boasting that he will be cleared of all allegations and commended for a job well done not because he and the IMC would not be found wanting, but because he is said to have perfected a scheme to compromise the entire process.

“The Minister is said to have as his chief talent the uncanny ability to throw money and more money at challenges until they give way. He is said to be bragging that he will deploy his wide contacts in the innermost recesses of Aso Rock power base to call the National Assembly to order since according to him politicians are sworn companions of the wind. The members of the IMC are said to have assured their collaborators not to worry because the Minister has already “settled” the matter hence his statement that he would like the proceedings to be beamed on live television.

“Another source of worry is the claim by those with insider knowledge that since the COVID-19 contract scandal broke out, the IMC has been engaged in massive destruction of contract documents, displacement of files, alteration of payment schedules and persuasion/intimidation of some of their collaborators to disappear from the scene during the pendency of the probe so as to frustrate any evidential value they may offer. This is absolutely very disturbing.

“We salute both chambers of the National Assembly for rising up to the challenges of exercising its oversight functions on the NDDC. The crime at NDDC is accumulating at an alarming rate. The actors at NDDC must be made to appreciate that they can be restrained by the limiting structures and facilities of oversight powers of the National Assembly. The National Assembly should deploy all tools available to it to “follow the money”. This can be easily achieved by collaborating with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Central Bank of Nigeria to ascertain the true amount of money that has been paid out since the Minister assumed his supervisory role over NDDC and where such money ultimately ended.

“The National Assembly should go a step further to determine the veracity or otherwise of the alleged reprisal and retaliation attacks on the staff of the commission who are being mandated to proceed on compulsory leave or retirement. The powers of the IMC to issue such a sweeping order must be reviewed in accordance with the provisions of the law. If the IMC lacks such powers, the order should be rescinded immediately and the IMC officially reprimanded. If this is the case, then, there would be a need to review the engagement of the lead auditors on whose purported advice the IMC acted as they would have shown themselves as puppets in the hands of an unseen conductor.

“It is my recommendation that only accomplished facts not speculations should be investigated and decisions reached on the basis of probable confirmations and possible contradictions. If the maelstrom of allegations against the Minister and the IMC turn out to be irresponsible and callous attempts to smear and tar them, then, the unreserved apology of the public should be extended to them.
“If, however, at the end of the investigation it is discovered that something terrible and powerful, something that is beyond our ken has surreptitiously taken over the levers of power at NDDC at the expense of our collective interest simply because its money tastes like the nectar of the gods, then our only demand would be that the guilty be severely punished and all the wrongs made right.

” In that case, I call on the National Assembly to recommend to the appropriate authorities that the IMC and the Minister rescue themselves from further administering the affairs of the commission, the Minister instructed to restrict himself to his ministry instead of ignoring the area of his primary assignment and fixing his gaze on NDDC with the burning eyes of a falcon and the original mistake of the IMC corrected by immediately inaugurating the statutory Board as recognized under the law to manage the affairs of the commission.”

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be impartial in the gubernatorial elections of Edo and Ondo States.

This was part of the resolutions reached by members of the forum in a virtual meeting held on Saturday.

Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki for the first time, attended the meeting. The governor who decamped from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the PDP was congratulated by his colleagues in other states for clinching the PDP guber ticket to seek re-election.

Other Governors who attended the meeting which was presided by the Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State includes Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Ben Ayade (Cross River); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); David Umahi (Ebonyi – represented by his deputy,  Eric Igwe); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); and Bello Mattawale (Zamfara).

“The meeting resolved to set up two committees of the forum, namely the Legislative Liaison Committee, which is expected to liaise with both the national and state legislatures on legislative matters, and guide the forum on pending Bills, including the Electoral Act Amendment and constitutional review matters as it affects the forum; (and the) Legal Affairs Committee: This is expected to identify and coordinate legal matters affecting the forum. In particular, the committee is expected to guide the forum on local government, inter-state, and federal government relations.

“It is also expected to explore the various infractions of the constitution by the Federal Government, including the arbitrary and illegal deductions from the Federation Account.”