AMAOPUSENIBO Shedrack Fubara Blog

Written by  Anu                                                                                                                             Contrary to the claim by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Rules, Senator Ita Enang that 83 per cent of oil blocks in the country are owned by northerners, investigations have revealed that 88 p...

IJAWS in the diaspora have joined the conversation on how to engender sustainable development in the Niger Delta through the process of dialogue being proposed by the Federal Government. The group described the proposed dialogue as a means to an end and not an end in itself, denouncing the use of violence by militants to settle scores.  The Diaspora Ijaw community in the United States disclosed this in a statement issued over the weekend at the end of consultations among various diaspora Ijaw groups and made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State. In a statement signed by its coordinator, Dr David Ugula, the group stated that the country had gone through the dialogue process before and that government, at this stage, should be sincere and avoid the missteps of the past. It stressed that the Niger Delta struggle is centred on the people who had been crushed physically, economically and psychologically by past governments and its leaders. The group thanked President...

A PRESS RELEASE Article 15(1)(a)(v) of the Constitution of the Ijaw National Congress 2009 as amended imposes on the President of Congress the responsibility to "present and articulate the Ijaw position on all national issues as approved by the National Representative Council". In discharge of this constitutional responsibility, the President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide, Barrister Boma Obuoforibo sought and obtained the approval of the 2014-2017 National Representative Council (NRC) at its 3rd meeting held at the International Headquarter of the Congress, Ijaw House Yenagoa on 29th April, 2015 to convene a Pan Ijaw Stakeholders Forum on 'The Ijaw Agenda Beyond May 29th 2015'. Consequently, the President of Congress has, in collaboration with the Government of Bayelsa State, directed me to announce the appointment of The Ijaw Agenda Summit Organising Committee made up of the following Ijaw sons and daughters: 1. Prof Nelson Brambaifa - Chairman ...

It cannot be argued any further that Nigeria's monolithic economy (total dependence on crude oil revenue) is indeed the bane of her underdevelopment.   The recent crash in oil price (Imagine oil dries up in Nigeria’s Niger Delta one day) brings to fore the urgent need to intensify the diversification of the economy if the story of Nigeria must change for the better. As the year 2014 comes to an end and we look forward to 2015, it has become imperative to emphasize that for sustainable and rapid development to be achieved in Nigeria, there must be a conscious effort by the Government and the Citizens to cut down on their appetite for crude oil money. In its place and as a matter of urgency, the Government should revamp the tax system immediately and especially get the super wealthy to pay more taxes in line with the PAYE Tax System. Also, the Manufacturing Sector should be given similar attention as the Agricultural Sector has witnessed under the Transformational ...

Tuesday, 21 May 2013   Members of the Diaspora Committee with Governor Dickson Bayelsans in the diaspora have been urged to come back home and explore the enormous potentials of the State by investing in various sectors of the State’s economy. They have also been told to apply the knowledge acquired during their sojourn abroad to support the developmental efforts of Government as well assist in developing their communities. Governor Seriake Dickson who made the call while inauguration a 25-member Diaspora Mobilization and Contact Committee in Government House, Yenagoa, noted that Bayelsa is in a hurry to develop and attain enviable heights in all critical sectors of human endeavor. He therefore charged the committee to encourage diaspora professionals to partner with government in bringing about the needed human capacity and infrastructural development in the state. “We have come to the stage in our development that we want to mobilize the resources of our peo...

It’s no longer news that terrorism has become a cankerworm in Nigeria with thousands of innocent citizens killed since this terror assumed a startling dimension. Between January and July, 2014 alone, Boko Haram, the Islamic Fundamentalist group which believes that ‘‘Western education is a sin” has killed and maimed over 2,000 Nigerians in about 95 attacks carried out around the North-East States of the country and Abuja.   Many say Boko Haram leadership has international connections to Al-Qa`ida in the Islamic Maghreb ( AQIM ), Al-Qa`ida core, Al-Shabab , the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa ( MUJAO ), Mokhtar Belmokhtar ’s factions, and other militant groups outside Nigeria. Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world with over 168 million people according to the World Bank. Since independence and pre-colonial era Nigerians have lived together as one people bound by a common destiny; after her civil war ( 6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970) . Despite th...

It doesn’t happen quite often. Infact, historians are yet to document it anywhere that this happened in the political landscape of Nigeria – an incumbent Governor defeated in a free and fair election and he concedes defeat soon after the result is announced .   A rarity in Nigeria’s body polity. For this singular action, Governor Kayode Fayemi is hereby inducted into the People’s Hall of Fame. In his concession speech Governor Kayode Fayemi said “ I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory. In a few hours from now, I would be meeting the Governor-elect to discuss the future of our dear state and how we would work together to institute a smooth transition programme.” This is a remarkable show of sportsmanship, even as a new chapter has been written in the annals of Nigeria’s political spectrum.   This is worthy of emulation by politicians and political parties. They must learn to respect the wishes of the people. A...