NATIONAL VIBES

  ...Bayelsa Queens Too ...State Teams Make History Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has lauded the feat of the state-owned football teams in reaching the finals in the male and female categories of the 2021 Aiteo Cup (formerly FA Cup and later Federation Cup) An elated Governor Diri, while congratulating Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens for their outstanding performance, praised their indomitable spirit and resilience in surmounting the odds to qualify for the last stage of Nigeria's oldest football competition. Bayelsa United, which plies its trade in the lower Nigerian National League, on Friday, defeated hard-fighting Premier League neighbours, Rivers United, in the semi-final by a lone goal while Bayelsa Queens, a few days earlier, crushed perennial rivals, Rivers Angels, 5-0 to also reach the final of the Aiteo Cup. The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, on Saturday, described Bayelsa United as "giant killers" for d...

. ... As Peter Obi, PDP Leaders Move To Unite Party Valentine Ozigbo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag-bearer for the 2021 Anambra governorship election, has unveiled Mrs Azuka Enemo, a former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in Anambra State, a seasoned administrator, and educationist, as his deputy.  Mr Ozigbo made the revelation of Thursday, July 29, 2021, when he held a ground-breaking reconciliatory town hall meeting with the stakeholders of the PDP at all levels at Oma Event Center, Awka.  At the well-attended occasion, Ozigbo appreciated stakeholders of the party, led by the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), governors, aspirants, state, LGA and ward leaders and party faithful who have unanimously thrown their weight behind his candidacy.  According to the multiple award-winning global CEO, there's no family without quarrels, and the P...

Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has urged Hepatitis patients to seek proper medical examination and treatment to stem the spread of Hepatitis. Dr. Banigo stated this in a message from the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, 28th July, 2021 in commemoration of the 2021 World Hepatitis Day.  According to the Deputy Governor, “Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the Liver caused by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious agents leading to a range of Health challenges”. The Public Health Physician, who said fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are symptoms of the disease, noted that Hepatitis B and C are the most prevalent which claim over a million lives annually and 3 million infections. Dr. Banigo who is the Chairman of the State Task Force on Immunization and Primary Healthcare frowned at the situation where people seek help from spiritual homes when they are ill disclosed that the State Chief Executive, Nyeso...

    …. Swears in Two Special Advisers Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has cautioned his appointees against early politicking ahead of the 2023 elections, saying he would not hesitate to sack any of them found wanting. Speaking before commencement of the weekly state Executive Council meeting in Government House on Wednesday, Governor Diri frowned on the activities of some of his appointees, which he said were hitting up the polity ahead of the 2023 elections, stressing that it was too early for open politicking. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying despite people having the right to aspire to any political office, the time was not ripe for politicking. Governor Diri reminded his appointees that the administration lost considerable time last year due to COVID-19 and needless litigations, stressing that it was in a hurry to deliver on its campaign promises and cannot afford to waste time politicking. He wondered ...

   Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said for Nigeria to attain its ‘Giant of Africa’ status, security agencies need to work in collaboration with the people to end the country’s intractable security challenges. Governor Diri stated this on Tuesday when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya and other principal army officers paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa. In a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, on Wednesday, the governor restated the need for all Nigerians to join hands as a people to accelerate the country’s pace of development. According to Diri, “we cannot afford to disunite our country because we need to be together and work together to make this country one of the best. “This can only be done when we work as one and as a people whose development had been stunted and strive to fast-track it.” While congratulating Gen. Yahaya on his appointment as the 22nd Chief of Army Staff, the governor prayed Go...

  Bayelsa State chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has commended Governor Douye Diri for his financial support to councils in the state that has ensured prompt payment of workers salaries. NULGE State President, Comrade Akpos Ekiegha, gave the commendation on Tuesday when the leadership of the union visited the governor in Government House, Yenagoa. Comrade Ekiegha also said Bayelsa was first among equals in the practice of local government autonomy. A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the NULGE leader as saying that local government workers in the state now enjoy the national minimum wage courtesy of Governor Diri’s prosperity government. He said since inception of the Diri administration, backlog of promotion exercise and annual increment for local government workers have received speedy approval. He also thanked the governor for releasing bailout funds to council chairmen due to poor federal allocation,...

   .....Commends Gov. Diri For Facilities At Institution  The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN)  has upgraded the Bayelsa State School of Nursing and Midwifery to the status of a college. The NMCN Secretary General/ Registrar, Dr Farouk Abubakar, who led the accreditation team to the institution, stated this on Tuesday when he visited Governor Douye Diri in Government House, Yenagoa. A press release by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah,  quoted Dr Abubakar as saying that the upgrade to a College of Nursing, Midwifery and Sciences was as a result of the team's satisfaction with the infrastructure and facilities in the institution. He said the facilities qualified it to be upgraded to a college. According to him, the upgrade would enable the college establish campuses in different parts of the state and also become affiliated to the Faculty of Nursing at the state-owned Niger Delta University.  He said the  council also a...

A non governmental organisation promoting the preservation of Sukur World Heritage Site has commended the contributions of Adamawa State Governor, the Rt.Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri towards giving Sukur the recognition it deserves.  Malame Mangzha Director General African International Documentary Festival Foundation gave the commendation during a visit to the Dougirei Hill Government House Yola to appreciate Governor Fintiri and decorate him with the foundations badge and present him a branded vest. Mangzha who led the International Adviser for UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Initiative Sukur, Patricia Krabacher John noted the importance of the heritage site to the development of the State, adding that it will make Adamawa a tourist hub. She said her aim is to give Sukur the publicity needed to attract investors and tourists.  Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who commended the passion of Malame Mangzha in developing the Heritage Site assured her of his administration's commitment ...

  The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, has commended the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for embarking on projects that are changing the face of his state and positively impacting on the people. The royal father, who gave the commendation on Sunday in his palace in Bauchi when Governor Diri paid him homage alongside his host, Governor Bala Mohammed, said he is impressed with the reports of the Bayelsa governor’s performance in office in less than two years. The Bayelsa governor became the emir’s subject in February this year following his conferment with the title of Wakilin Kudu of Bauchi, which means “brave and courageous representative of the Bauchi emirate in the South.” A press release by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted Alhaji Adamu as listing some of the projects embarked upon by the Diri administration to include the Yenagoa-Oporoma Road, Glory Drive Road, a gigantic media complex for the state newspaper and broadcast organisatio...

 Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has said great opportunities abound in Bayelsa State for foreign investors. The former Nigerian leader stated this at a state banquet  organised by the Bayelsa State government in honour of the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, on Friday night in Yenagoa. Amb. Young-Chae was on a two-day visit to the state. Describing Bayelsa as a fertile market for foreign direct investment, Dr. Jonathan said not many foreign investors have discovered the state's economic potential.  A statement by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the former president as urging the Korean envoy not to let slip the opportunity of harnessing the full potential of a virgin state like Bayelsa.  Jonathan commended Governor Douye Diri and his team for the great job of attracting economic giants like South Korea, noted for its  technological advancement, to the state. His words: “Most cases, when companies come...

 South Korea Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kim Young-Chae, has said that Korean companies would invest in the agricultural sector of Bayelsa State and other areas of interest to boost the state's economy. The envoy stated this at an exhibition tagged: "Made in Bayelsa Agricultural Products: A Pre-Bayelsa Agric Summit 2021" held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa. A statement on Friday by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted Mr. Young-Chae as  assuring Governor Douye Diri of support to enable him realise his vision and economic blueprint for the state. The ambassador said he was impressed with Governor Diri's passion to engender economic prosperity through agricultural and infrastructure development of the state. He urged the Bayelsa government to study the Korean and other East Asian markets with a view to producing crops such as cassava, rice and seedlings for export. His words: "I will do my best to bring Kor...