The 13th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Forum of South–South Monarchs is scheduled to hold   in Asaba from May 21 – 22 May, with the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio CON as Special Guest of Honour and the Executive Governor of Delta State, Excellency Rt Hon Elder Sheriff FO Oborevwori as the Chief Host.

A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Chairman, Planning Committee, HRM Pere Stanley Perediegha Luke – Kalanama VIII (JP) – Pere of Akugbene – Mein Kingdom, and 1st Vice Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, said the event will hold at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, on the theme: “Strengthening Stakeholder Collaboration for Development of the South – South Region: The Role of the Traditional Institution.

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According to the statement, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku, is expected to be the Guest Speaker, while the keynote address will be presented by Adele L. Jinadu, former Executive Director, Centre for Advanced Social Sciences (CASS) Port Harcourt and Adjunct Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Lagos.

Membership of the Forum consists of all First-Class Traditional Rulers and Members of the State Councils of Traditional Rulers of the six States of the South – South geopolitical zone: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States.

The statement also explained that the 13th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Forum is being organized in partnership with the Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research to intensify collaboration, deepen synergy and articulate a common front among the diverse Stakeholders in the Region and beyond towards achieving the strategic imperatives of security and sustainable socio-economic development for the Region.

“The Forum is consciously aware that emerging national realities require the collective and deliberate action of all the gatekeepers to achieve the aspirations of the founding fathers and people of the Region,” it added.

Giving a background to the meeting, the statement noted that the Asaba event was in consonance with the fact that sustainable development, peace and security are major factors in nation building and national security, which constitute the fundamental underpinnings in the existence and survival of any society or nation.

“Therefore, the traditional institution must be alive to its responsibilities in achieving its natural mandate of promoting peaceful co-existence, peace and security in their domains, and also fostering national security which is fundamental in national development,” it said.

It expressed the firm belief of the South – South Monarchs Forum believes that by building Stakeholder synergy, the meeting shall engender shared responsibilities towards achieving the institutionalization of the road map and priorities of the policy frameworks crafted to boost economic revival, security and stability of the Region.

“It is also the expectation of the Forum that the derivatives from the meeting shall regenerate confidence in securing Foreign Direct Investment into the Region’s productive Sectors as canvassed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at different international fora; and also boost capital growth and turnkey business startups and development,” it said.

While lamenting the palpable security challenges in the South-South Region, especially the unfortunate killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA on 14th March, 2024, the said it was expected that the Asaba meeting would provide the avenue to extensively deliberate on how to avoid recurrence in any community within the Region.

It expressed appreciation to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio; the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff FO Oborevwori; the Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku and; all political leaders from the zone for their support geared towards making the forthcoming meeting a success.

“The subject matter is very sensitive to the aspirations of the Region. It is hoped that the proceedings from this General Assembly shall also inject fresh ideas and initiatives into the overall architecture of the Forum to reinforce a systemized and collective framework in actualizing its mandate.

“We also look forward to the robust participation and inputs of all Stakeholders, both in the public and private circles towards achieving the strategic imperatives of this event. The Forum is hopeful that all Stakeholders will consider this as a patriotic duty to our fatherland and contribute to the success of this event,” the statement said.

Members of the organised labour have started picketing the offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and distribution companies (DisCos)’s premises nationwide over the hike in electricity tariff.

The action of the workers follows a joint directive from the leadership of both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at weekend to their members to picket these offices in protests of the tariff hike.

“We write to inform you of the picketing action scheduled to take place in the offices of the NERC and Electricity Distribution companies (DISCOS) in all states, including the FCT,” the unions said in a joint statement by NLC’s Ag General Secretary Chris Uyot and his TUC counterpart Anka Hassan

“The action will jointly take place on Monday, 13th of May, 2024 nationwide simultaneously.

Therefore, the two Labour centres are directed to work together to carry out this important action. While counting on your usual cooperation, kindly accept the assurances of our goodwill and highest regards.”

As early as 7AM on Monday, members of the labour unions blocked the main gate of the distribution company located in the Kaduna State capital amidst tight security.
Staff of the company were prevented from going into the premises as the protesting union members demand for the reversal of the tariff hike.

In Kwara State, the union members blocked the entrance of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company in the state capital Ilorin.

Led by the state chairman of the NLC, gate of the company was locked and the staff were prevented from gaining access into their offices as early as eight 8AM on Monday morning.

The chairman of the NLC, Saheed Olayinka, said the hike in tariff has been having negative effects on the populace and asked the Federal Government to reverse it.

The picketing, he added, will continue until the demands of the reversal is met.

The union members, who were carrying placards with different inscriptions and singing solidarity songs, stationed themselves around the premises while the workers of the DisCo sat patiently awaiting further directive.

Similarly, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, some members of the TUC shut the Head office of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). They gathered at the front of the company’s office protesting the electricity tariff hike.

From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The Commissioner for transport Enugu State, Dr Obi Ozor have said that Enugu State government will complete the proposed site for the Enugu State central Station dual terminal park in 12 months, adding that Peter Mbah administration has also compensated the 29 legal tenants of railway cooperation along holy ghost axis where the terminal will be constructed.

The Commissioner speaking with the Journalists in Enugu during an inspection at the proposed site informed them that Enugu State government had reached an agreement with Nigerian railway and federal ministry of transportation to lease the place for the construction of the proposed terminal. He noted that work will commence in the terminal this month and will be completed and delivered in 12 months.According to him, the Enugu State government started this Journey since September 2023 and the government has engaged all the stakeholders from the ditch crushers to the Agberos, to the legal tenants and to the federal government. Notices were given on 13th October 2023 and after 7 months, the government has come to clear the place for immediate commencement of the terminals.””Compensation has been paid to the legal tenants, and some tenants have not submitted their accounts to railway, because some of them believe they are above the law or that government cannot do work for the benefit of the people. “I believe that after yesterday’s action, they will reach out to railway and will submit their account for immediate payment.He pointed out that the government since last year prepared befitting relocation site at new market and old UNTH for the motherless babies. “We have made all arrangements and they have a committee responsible for allocating spaces to different transporters”.”We are also building the same type of terminal in Garriki, Abakpa and in Nsukka making it for phase 1 of the transport infrastructural project. The phase 2 will now be looking at places like nine mile and other critical places. So the government wants to build this infrastructures in an equitable manner to drive efficiency, affordability and sustainability of transportation sector in Enugu. The management of this will be driven by private sector for sustainability.Former Chairman, Ezeagu local government area also former Special Adviser to the former governor, Hon Fred Ezinwa in an interview with Journalists commended Governor Peter Mba for embarking on this project saying that it takes a Governor with political will to do that.”What he is building here is an edifice, a legacy project that will outlive him. It had dual advantage, by giving a massive security in Enugu. If you have a central park anchoring all the vehicle coming to Enugu, you will know who came in to Enugu and who left Enugu. The economy of Enugu will be consolidated in terms of IGR.