We Will Continually Produce Champions in the Education Sector - Obuebite

The Bayelsa State commissioner for Education, Hon. Jonathan R. Obuebite has once again spurred students in both the Public and Private schools in the State to set goals, and make plans to achieve that goal.

The commissioner made the call at the 4th edition of the NCDMB sponsored Science Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State, he said that it is not out of place to dream big and that is why the Restoration Government has so far invested over 150 billion naira in the education sector to ensure that all that is needed to help the students live up to their dreams is fully provided.

He expressed happiness that the students who emerged as the first position went to the Ijaw National Academy, and the Second position went to a students from Community Secondary School, Akenfa, while the third position went to Kaiama Grammar School, all government schools, which shows that the investment of the State Government in the sector is not in vain.
He went on to commend the NCDMB for partnering with the Ministry of Education at different levels, and assured them that the government and the ministry would continue to work with them to take education to a greater height.

Find below the speech of the Honourable Commissioner for Education.

PROTOCOL

I bring you greeting from my boss and leader, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, the man who has given me the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Commissioner for Education. My opening speech today would be brief but will spur you to continuously attain for greatness. I am told that the theme for this competition is “Grab a star, Reach for the Sky”, so in a few minutes I would be talking about Stars and how it relates to you.

WHAT IS A STAR?
Stars are basically really huge, hot balls of gas found in outer space. Did you know that deep inside of the Star’s core there is a constant amount of generating energy? That explains us as human beings, deep inside every one of us there is a constant urge or zeal to attain greatness, some of us discover it and build on it, while some of us discover it and not build on it, the other category of persons don’t even know that there is greatness inside of them. As a Commissioner that heads the Education Sector in the State, I have not only discovered these categories of persons in the society, but my team and I have changed their story, I say this today because before now we had less than 45% of Bayelsans where not interested in education, but that is no longer the story today.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF?
They are made of 73% Hydrogen, 25% Helium and some other elements. Do you know why Stars shine? THEY SHINE BECAUSE THEY BURN HELIUM IN THEIR CORE WHICH MAKE THEM SHINE IN THE NIGHT SKY! Most Stars have small amounts of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and iron, which was created by stars that existed before them…that sounds a lot like human DNA, cool! Let me narrow this down, in 2012 when this government declared a state of emergency in the education sector, and a massive approach was launched to ensure that every child must go to school, then we discovered that we had stars that were hidden because there was no opportunity for them to shine (Helium), so we provided all that these stars (The Bayelsa Child) needed in all facets of education, and the testimonies are mind blowing and limitless.

WHAT IS THE FARTHEST STAR WE CAN SEE?
The farthest Star we can see is 13 billion years away, for us in Restoration Government, we believe that not just is every child a star, but if well groomed, nurtured and given the opportunity to shine, there is no limit of how bright they will shine in even more that 13 billion years, the story of how bright the child reflected his/her light would be forever told.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE BIGGEST STAR IS CALLED?
It is called the VY CANIS MAJORIS- let me challenge you here and now, if among the stars there is one that is singled out and even given a name, you too can among the stars in other States of the nation, decide to be the biggest star with a name and of course Bayelsa State as your State of origin. It does not matter if you are in the Public or Private School, it does not also matter what background you belong to, self-determination is all you need, so I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity and don’t just grab a star, grab the biggest star.
As I wrap up, I will just tell you the four (4) stars and what they signify-

A FIRST STAR: STUDYING IS WORK: It is acceptable, normal, expected, and part of the plan. Whether you are a student in the Primary, Secondary r Tertiary level, if you don’t like work, you are not ready to shine.

A SECOND STAR: TIME IS PRECIOUS: As you work hard to be the best in your academics, I want you to consider that our time and our strength are limited. One of the constraints of a mortal probation is that we must be selective about how, where and with whom we spend our time.

A THIRD STAR: STORMS ARE CERTAIN: No matter who you are, your life will have storms; you will encounter discouragement, doubt and defeat. The difficulties you will face will amaze you and overwhelm you at times, but it is your very response to such trials that will build your character and determine your destiny.

A FOURTH STAR: KNOW WHO AND WHOSE YOU ARE
Our divine origin and our eternal possibilities should determine our aspirations, our attitudes, and our actions.
I hope you learned a lot by listening to my speech.
Thank you very much and God bless us all.

Hon. Jonathan R. Obuebite
Commissioner for Education.

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Well-being of women and children still an issue – Aisha Buhari

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has called on states that are yet to flag off the MNCH week activities for this year to do so for the benefit of women and children, noting that despite the significant progress made towards improving the health and wellbeing of women and children, more needs to be done.

Mrs. Buhari, who made the call during the flag-off of the Maternal and Child Health Week in Jada, Adamawa State on Monday, July 23, 2018, was represented by Mrs. Grace Chamah.

Mrs. Buhari said the MNCH week is a bi-annual event to be conducted in all the 36 states and the FCT, with the aim of improving access and utilization of essential maternal and child health care services, which ultimately will contribute to reduction in maternal and child mortality.

“I am aware that Nigeria is one of the countries with high maternal and child mortality both at continental and global levels, and it’s also painfully true that some of the causes of deaths among these groups are preventable.” She said, adding that simple interventions such as increasing awareness about the importance of health and health care services, provision of routine antenatal care services, routine immunizations, de-worming of children and Vitamin A supplementation can significantly contribute to reduction of maternal and child mortality. The MNCH week, she held, provides a good platform for the delivery of these simple life saving interventions.

She commended Adamawa state and others that have flagged off the week, saying these states will witness improved health outcomes and called on those that have not, to do so for the benefit of their women and children.

Earlier during the event, wife of the Governor of Adamawa state, Mrs. Maryam Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow said the MNCH week is a giant stride in the effort to checkmate all health challenges affecting mothers and their newborn babies. She said the exercise is taking place simultaneously in all the 21 local government areas of the state “to avail us ample opportunity to have our children aged 0-59 months vaccinated against killer diseases.”

She said Vitamin A, de-worming tablets, routine immunization, ante-natal care and iron foliate among others, will be provided during the exercise. She appealed to mothers to take advantage of this opportunity.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fatima Abubakar, said Schistosomiasis has an endemic infestation in the state, therefore the top three LGAs (Demsa, Toungo and Jada) have been earmarked to receive priority attention.

Highlights of the event were the handing over of the essential drugs from Future Assured Programme to the wife of the Governor for onward distribution to beneficiaries. Wife of the Governor also conducted a deworming exercise on pupils of Central Primary School, Jada.

Suleiman Haruna
Director of Information
to Wife of the President
State House
Abuja

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Rt. Hon. Konbowie Benson Responsible For The Killings in Korokorosei Not Darlon Security And Guards – Preye Oseke

The Public Relations Manager of Darlong Security and Guards , Mr. Preye Oseke, has dismissed the allegations, that the company was involved in criminal and illegal acts, in its operations.

He said “This issues of killings, Mr. Speaker Rt. Hon. Benson Konbowei have questions to answer and not Darlon Security and Guards, because he was invited to the DSS office over issues of killings in Korokorosei over a year ago, there was no personnel from Darlon Security and Guards Ltd that was invited by the DSS because we were never involved in the crisis in Korokorosei.”

He described the allegations against Darlon Security and Guards as “ill-conceived, malicious, unfounded and politically motivated.

He said,  “Darion as a responsible and law-abiding firm, operates within the ambits of the law” stressing that its operations had created jobs to more than 4,000 youths hitherto engaged in oil theft and other sundry crimes in the creeks of Bayelsa.

He said, “The state government and the State House of Assembly are the ones accusing Darlon security of killing some persons, but who did we kill? Mr. Oseke asked.

According to him, “Government have the capacity to arrest and prosecute any individual that is stockpiling arms, the company is saddled with the responsibility of securing the waterways and ensuring that it is free of bunkering activities.”

 ” we cannot join issues with government on these allegations, if government claims any crime was committed, it has the capacity to go after the individual(s) that have committed the alleged crime. Government should not be sponsoring press conferences one after the other, if there are killing as alleged, go after the person(s) arrest and prosecute them“.

He maintained that Darlon Security and Guards Ltd, stands on its earlier statement, that the security outfit and its personnel do not bear arms, but work with conventional security such as the JTF (Operation Delta Safe), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Nigeria Police and the Department of State Service, DSS, noting that suspects arrested in the course of its duty are handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

On the issue of the motion raised in the House of Representatives,  he said “We are waiting for the invitation, it is a normal process, we will go there and make our presentation we have nothing to hide. We have never been involved in any kind of criminality.”

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PDP ‘Begs’ Akpabio Not To Join APC

There are indications that former Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, may soon join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is said to be making concerted effort not to lose him, it was learnt yesterday.

Akpabio is said to have fallen out with his successor Governor Udom Emmanuel.

The development appears to be a confirmation of Akpabio’s statement that “all is not well” when he met with stakeholders in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

A source said the PDP National Working Committee led by the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, was locked in a marathon meeting with Akpabio in his Asokoro Abuja home at the weekend.

The meeting is believed to be a last minute effort by the opposition party to stop the Senator’s possible decampment to the ruling party.

Akpabio is said to be unhappy with the governor for his unwillingness to open the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene which Akpabio was said to have built and furnished.

Emmanuel is also said to have failed to complete a portion of the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road.

Akpabio had hinted at a mega rally held at Ikot Ekpene to endorse him and Emmanuel for second terms that a political party is just a vehicle for winning election.

He also reportedly said that whichever party he decided to pitch his tent with in the 2019 elections, he would emerge a winner to continue to deliver dividends of democracy to his people.

This has been widely perceived by political watchers as an imminent plan by Akpabio to decamp to another political party.

A former Deputy Governor Chief Chris Ekpenyong, who chaired the rally, had also reportedly told Emmanuel that all was not well in the Senatorial District.

Ekpenyong is said to have urged the governor to replicate the good roads and industries he has built in his Onna community to other parts of the state, as what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The issue was said to have cropped when at the APC mega rally in Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium where Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Managing Director Obong Nsima Ekere reportedly faulted the governor for abandoning the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District by refusing to open the hotel and complete the road.

Observers are said to have wondered why Emmanuel had allowed the Sheraton by Four Points Hotel and the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene road issues to linger.

Political analysts have asked what it would have cost the administration to open a hotel that had virtually been completed instead of leaving it to rot.

Sources pointed that even though Akpabio’s predecessor, Obong Victor Attah pitched his tent with his son-in-law Dr Udoma Ekarika rather than supporting Akpabio, he (Akpabio) still built a dualised road complete with the most modern street lights to Attah’s home.

Unconfirmed reports say the end-of-tenure entitlements of Akpabio’s political appointees were yet to be paid simply because they are “Akpabio Boys.”

When contacted, Akpabio’s media aide Jackson Udom said he was not aware of any move by his principal to dump the PDP.

“Senator Akpabio as far as I know is a strong member and leader of the PDP. He is the Minority Leader of the party in the Senate,” Udom added.

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I Will Make My Intention Known Soon – Saraki

The Senate president Bukola Saraki said he would make known his next political move very soon .

Saraki, who has been rumoured to be planning to defect from the APC ahead of the 2019 general elections , said this in an interview with journalists in Ede, Osun State .

The Senate President was the guest lecturer at the fourth convocation and conferment of honorary doctorates on some prominent persons by the Adeleke University, Ede.

Saraki said, “ Like I said last week , I will tell Nigerians where and what my intentions are . I would do that very soon .”

The Senate President , who is a friend of the Adeleke family, also congratulated Senator Ademola Adeleke , on his emergence as the governorship candidate of the PDP .

He said he was happy about the performance of Adeleke , who replaced his late brother , Senator Isiaka Adeleke , as the senator representing the Osun West Senatorial District at the Senate in July 2017 .

He said, “I congratulate him apart from being a member of the PDP , don ’ t forget . He ( Adeleke ) is a colleague of mine in the Senate . I am happy to see that he’ s done very well . It means that he is popular and well accepted . It is good to see that our member of the Senate is well accepted . I wish him all the best in the election ahead. ”

But the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi , who was also at the convocation , warned Nigerian leaders and political actors against making utterances and taking steps capable of destabilising the country .

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No Political Party Can Hold Our Democracy To Ransom – Oshiomhole

The National chairman of APC has also dismissed the PDP ’ s threat to boycott the 2019 elections , saying no political party could hold Nigeria’ s democracy to ransom .

Oshiomhole said this while receiving the report of the Governor Abdulaziz Yari - led panel on the Osun State Governorship primaries, late on Saturday .

The APC national chairman said his party had refused to be intimidated by the opposition PDP because it was obvious that the party was throwing tantrums because its rigging machinery had been dismantled.

He also said the PDP was being haunted by its past and that no one should take the party ’ s threats seriously because its “do or die ” approach to elections had since lost its appeal .

According to him , Nigerians have demonstrated their acceptance of democracy by the sheer number of people that turn up during political activities and for elections .

Oshiomhole said, “Let me tell them ( PDP ) , nobody can threaten democracy , Nigerians have accepted it , they bought into it , they have shown their belief in it by the sheer number of people that voted in the last time and the campaigns you have seen .

“This has shown that beyond political parties , Nigerians are committed to the sustenance of democracy .

“This democracy is not at the mercy of any particular political party . We will not be intimidated and we are committed to one man, one vote, we will sustain it . That is the way to go.”

He likened the threat issued by the PDP to that of “a rabbit jumping out of a hole in the afternoon because a hunter has come to put fire to smoke it out.”

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Come Clean On US Immigration Status, VON DG Tells Atiku

The Director - General of Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, has challenged former Vice - President Atiku Abubakar to come clean on his United States immigration status .

Okechukwu also gave the indication that Abubakar would not be able to address insecurity in the country if, as the Nigerian President, he is unable to go to the US .

Reacting to Abubakar’ s presidential declaration in Yola , Adamawa State , on Saturday, Okechukwu wondered if the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain would be able to go to the US if elected President in 2019.

The VON DG said that Abubakar’ s inability to visit the US made him a less attractive option than the incumbent , President Muhammadu Buhari , who was hosted in the White House shortly after he assumed office .

Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Sunday, Okechukwu challenged Abubakar to authorise the United States Border Authority to make public his immigration status .

He said, “Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari , few weeks after the inauguration , was honoured with a red carpet reception at the White House .

“A presidential contest is like a beauty contest, and Buhari remains the best among those parading themselves to be President in 2019. ”

The VON DG faulted Abubakar for declaring that more Nigerians had been killed during Buhari ’ s administration than the number of people that died in war- torn Iraq and Afghanistan .

He urged Abubakar and all Nigerians to join hands with Buhari to fight insecurity , instead of “comparing the dead with those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan . ”

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