Innocent Ojefia Blog

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, introduce policies to curb the menace. The Governor made the call during the 25th coronation anniversary of the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, HRM Wilson Oharisi III. The ceremony which was attended by people of all walks of life took place at Ughelli, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State. While noting that the menace of Fulani herdsmen was not restricted to Delta State, the Governor said, "Fulani herdsmen menace is a national challenge, it has become something that is affecting all the states in the federation." "The Federal Government should have a policy direction for us to live in peace with the Fulani herdsmen," he said, asserting, "I do hope that there will be policy direction to reduce the clashes." He continued, "I want to appeal to our people to continue with the peaceful engagement process while we ...

The month of May has become symbolic with democracy in Nigeria. As democracy day draws near Nigerians are slowly taking stock as they rate the second coming of Buhari an abysmal low as his second year in office has bred more pains than gains. Buhari presidency: what a ride it has been? Buhari regime has put out more than ten plans since they got there. Which one has been implemented successfully? But I am thankful. I am thankful because had Buhari not won, we would have been hearing the balderdash of how this impeccable disciplinarian and man of integrity could have made Nigeria great again The statistics of migration released by Lagos State Government cements the failure of a regime that promised much but offers little. More children have been left abandoned and forgotten by their parents on the streets of Lagos as the number trebled to a record high. This is not unconnected with the deep poverty and recession Buhari has inflicted on Nigerians.  Many families can...

The Delta State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Mrs. Mary Iyasere, has inaugurated the Project Implementation and Strategy subcommittee of the state Committee on Export Promotion. The ceremony took place yesterday at conference room in the office of the commissioner during a meeting of the state Committee on Export Promotion. Barr. Iyasere said that the inauguration of the subcommittee has become expedient due to the inability of producers in the State to export their products. She charged members of the subcommittee to work towards the provision of suitable platforms for farmers in the state to export their products. The Chairman of the committee, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Arthur-Prest Umukoro, thanked the Commissioner for giving members of the subcommittee the opportunity to contribute their quota in the export promotion drive of the state. During the meeting of the committee, two possible products for...

  The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has paid glowing tributes to the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, HRM Dr. Oharisi III, as he turns 64 on Friday, April 28th, 2017. Governor Okowa noted that Ughelli Kingdom has remained peaceful and investor-friendly since His Majesty ascended the ancient throne of his forefathers. In a statement issued in Asaba by the Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, Governor Okowa, said Dr. Oharisi's reign has immensely benefited the people of Ughelli Kingdom, Delta State and indeed the nation. “Of remarkable note is your royal carriage which is visible in the exemplary manner you have discharged your duties and has remained a source of pride and splendour to the traditional Institution. "On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, I congratulate your Majesty on your 64th birthday and 25th Coronation Anniversary. "We pray that the Almighty God will continue to give you good health and wisdom to p...

Young people are pushing for change in France, can the same be done in Nigeria in 2019? On Sunday, April 24, 2017, the front runners of the first round of the presidential elections in France emerged. They are 39-year-old   Emmanuel Macron   of the   En Marche!   political party and   Marine Le Pen   of the   National Front . Le Pen is 48 years old. The emergence of both candidates in the general elections indicates that the French people are tired of mainstream politics and are in search of something new and fresh. It's not only French people that are in search of something new, young French people want something better for themselves. Both candidates, Macron and Le Pen, are very popular among young voters in France. The former is seen as a young outsider who could break into the dreary world of politics and galvanize it, like   Obama  pre-2008. The latter Le Pen who has very nationalistic views is popular among French you...

- The Federal Government of Nigeria still owes workers N290bn promotion arrears  - Twelve states are yet to pay the salaries of workers, despite having collected bailout funds  - Kogi state has the highest debts, with 14 months unpaid salaries Emerging reports from an ongoing investigation suggest that 12 states are still owing their workers a backlog of salaries and allowances, despite double bailout funds from the Federal Government.  NAIJ.com gathered that Kogi state is still owing as salaries up to about 15 months. This revelation came as Organised Labour accused the Federal Government of owing civil servants a whopping N290 billion promotion arrears, lamenting that all efforts at making the government pay had not yielded any positive result. Giving an overview of the salary situations across the states, Secretary-General of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, Bashir Alade Lawal, told Vanguard that some States were still defaulti...

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, has reassured Nigerians that the cash recoveries being made by agencies of government in President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption drive will not be re-looted. Fielding questions at a press conference on the World Bank, IMF meetings in Washington, Adeosun said the country now has a single account for reconciling recovered funds, to avoid re-looting. “We have a recovery account. All the recovered monies go into the recovery account which we reconcile,” Adeosun said. “Now, in the budget, there was the provision that some recovered monies would go into it and that goes into specific projects in the budget. Any excess recoveries we have to wait and take some decisions. So far, we have recovered up to the amount we are expecting in the budget. But what we are trying to do is to make sure that there real controls, that was why we created a central recovery account. What we also discovered is that so many agencies are recovering and we must k...

Suspended SGF Babachir Lawal was a bad example for anyone who wants to join the public service. “I am honoured to be a cabal member in this presidency”, 62-year-old Babachir David Lawal said in that I-don’t-give-a-damn tone public officials often deploy in Nigeria. It was during one warm afternoon in October of 2016. “I have no apologies to make”,  he added for emphasis through chubby cheeks. He was responding to reports in the local and international press insinuating that alongside a certain  Mamman Daura  and Abba Kyari,  he belonged to a cabal within the presidency which was holding Nigeria hostage… "I have no apologies to make.. Lawal was appointed  Secretary  to the  Government  of the Federation (SGF)  by  President Muhammadu Buhari  on August 27, 2015. He hails from Adamawa State. His time in office until he was suspended on April 19, 2017, is better forgotten. Lawal regarded himself as some kind of tin ...