Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Delta condemns FG’s delay in school feeding programme

By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
24 April 2017   |   3:59 am
The Delta State’s Executive Secretary, Micro Small Scale and Medium Enterprises Development, Mrs. Shimite Bello, has condemned the delay in implementing the homegrown school-feeding programme in the state.

• Activist faults proposed 13 per cent derivation on modular refineries
• Hope brightens at DSC as electricity is restored

The Delta State’s Executive Secretary, Micro Small Scale and Medium Enterprises Development, Mrs. Shimite Bello, has condemned the delay in implementing the homegrown school-feeding programme in the state.

She told journalists in Asaba that the Federal Government programme that was earlier scheduled to start in February had again been shifted.Bello explained that the state was committed to the programme and had sensitised all the relevant ministries, adding that 1754 caterers out of 1,800 had so far been cleared for the takeoff.

The secretary stressed that the delay in the programme’s commencement was also partly attributed to the challenges faced by the selected caterers in the harmonisation of their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).

Meanwhile, oil communities in the Niger Delta have faulted the alleged planned payment of 13 per cent derivation to the governors in the Niger Delta region. A Niger Delta activist, Elvis Mulade, made the condemnation when he spoke with journalists in Asaba on behalf of the host communities’ flow stations/wells.

Lamenting the inadequate presence of federal and state government’s projects in the oil and gas-producing areas, he said the proposed derivation funds might be another conduit pipe to short-change the communities.

Mulade urged the Federal Government to rather channel the resources to the building of the planned modular refineries to end the illegal bunkering and protect the environment.

Also, the state Civil Service Commission has raised the alarm about the encroachment of unidentified persons on its land.The Chairman of the commission, Nkem Okwuofu, said the occupant had erected a residential building on the land without the permission of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Lands and Surveys, Chika Ossai said on Friday that past efforts to stop the illegal occupation were unsuccessful. Okwuofu urged the lands and surveys ministry to intervene to stop further work on the land.

In addition, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has promised to begin town hall meetings across the 25 local council areas next month.He disclosed this at the weekend in Warri while addressing stakeholders’ meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the south senatorial district in the state.

Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan hosted the meeting, which was attended by party leaders and top government functionaries.In Ovwian-Aladja, the hope of the resuscitation of the Delta Steel Company has been brightened by the restoration of electricity supply to the company.

The General Manager of Premium Steel and Mines Limited, German Victor revealed this yesterday. He urged the community to support them to enable production to begin in the company.

In another development, residents of Asaba have urged the state government to address the dumping of refuge along the roads and streets.Some residents who spoke with The Guardian said the habit was causing flooding and creating poor environmental sanitation in the state

In this article

0 Comments