Lifestyle

Okowa approves 65 years retirement age for public school staff

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The Delta State government has approved 65 years as the retirement age for teaching and non-teaching staff of all its public schools, including polytechnics and colleges of education.

It also approved 40 years as the length of service year for teaching and non-teaching staff in all its public schools.

The State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the approval was part of the decisions reached at the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting, presided by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Monday in Government House, Asaba.

The commissioner, accompanied by the chief press secretary to the governor, Olisa Ifeajika, noted that other approvals, which included the upward review of road projects and new road contracts, among others, were considered at the meeting.

According to Mr Aniagwu, teaching and non-teaching staff of public primary, secondary, polytechnics and colleges of education will now retire at 65 or after 40 years of service in the state.

“Today, the council approved that teachers and non-teaching staff in the public schools of Delta can be in the office up to 65 years of age.

“And that teachers can also be in the office for as much as 40 years, which before now, has been 60 years and 35 years of service before retirement, but they now have additional five years in terms of age and years of service.

“We did it because, at 65 years, teachers may have garnered lots of experience to teach more and matured with clearer understanding of their field of study.

“For the non-teaching staff in polytechnics and colleges of education, we have given them the advantage to remain in service for 40 years or 65 years of age,” he said.

Mr Aniagwu noted that even when some teachers may have retired, they may not be tired; hence the need to effect change and take advantage of the human capital to develop and build a more viral society.

He said the council also approved construction, expansion, and redesign works on some roads and drainages linking many communities across the state.

“The council also approved six new solar power grids for the six zonal hospitals across the state to ensure steady power supply, function optimally and improve service delivery at the hospitals.”

He said the government also approved upward reviews of contract sums for nine technical colleges out of 10 being constructed to reflect the realities and enable the contractors to deliver the projects.

Lifestyle

Okowa presents staff of office to Delta monarch

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The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has solicited for due respect for traditional rulers across the country just as he presented staff of office to the new Ovie of Mosogar Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

He specifically called on the people of Mosogar to promote the integrity of the traditional institution.

Speaking during the presentation of staff of office to the newly crowned Ovie of Mosogar kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Sunday Odogu Okpurhe, Uduaka I, on Saturday, Okowa appealed to all sons and daughters of the community to “work together with the Ovie for the sustainable peace and progress of the kingdom, Ethiope West Local Government Area and indeed the state”.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, urged the people of Mosogar to accord their traditional ruler maximum respect.

He said, “I have no doubt that the institution of the Ovie has great significance for the people of Mosogar and as such, you will all strive to promote the integrity of the stool by bestowing His Royal Majesty, the respect he deserves.

I urge you all to give him your fullest support, love and cooperation.“The Ovie is one of you. I, therefore, call on every son and daughter of Mosogar to work together with the Ovie for the sustainable peace and progress of the kingdom, Ethiope West Local Government Area and indeed the State.

“The volume of respect he gets from outsiders will spring from the one he enjoys at home. Please do not relent in giving His Royal Majesty all the honour he truly deserves”.

The governor, however, appealed to the new king to be fair and just in discharging his responsibilities to his subjects.“You are the father of all your subjects, so you should be fair to all and sundry.

As the custodian of the tradition of your people, it is important that you uphold the sanctity of their custom.

Lifestyle

Delta Police PRO reveals another means fraudsters defraud POS operators

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Delta Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, has revealed another method fraudsters apply to defraud POS operators.

In a Twitter thread, Edafe wrote;

”For POS operators, what criminals do is that, at the point of entering their pins, they delete the actual amount they want to withdraw and enter a far lesser amount before they enter d pin.

For POS operators that’s not smart, they just take d receipt without double checking.

For example, they claim thay want to withdraw #100,000, the POS operator enters d amount and pass d POS to them for their pin, instead of entering d pin, they go back, delete two zeros thereby reducing the amount to #1,000 print the receipt, collect the money and go. Beware!!!”

Lifestyle

Delta state police declare man wanted for shooting 11-year-old boy dead while testing a gun in Delta

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The police in Delta state has declared a 27-year-old man identified as Kome Ogaga wanted for allegedly shooting an eleven-year-old boy identified as Hossana Merritt dead.

A tweet released by the spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe, said the suspect shot the deceased dead while he was testing a locally made gun on August 22.

”On monday 22/8/2022, This suspect Kome ogaga age 27years while testing a locally made gun, shot and killed one 11year old boy Hossanna Merritt. The suspect abandoned his house and ran away. Pls whoever knows his whereabout should help so that the little boy can get justice.”

Lifestyle

Man collapses after allegedly losing a N200k loan at a betting shop

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A man who collapsed after allegedly losing a N200k loan at a betting shop has gone viral online. Eyewitness claim the incident occurred at a betting shop in Ekpan, Delta state. It was also gathered that the man borrowed the N200k from loan shark operators for his house rent, but took it to the betting shop, hoping he would double it.

He however lost all the money to a virtual game a.k.a baby.

Lifestyle

10 die as church building collapses in Delta

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At least 10 people were confirmed dead when a building collapsed in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State on Tuesday.

The building which housed a church, Salvation Ministry, collapsed on the congregation during a mid-week service at 5:55 p.m. on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses told journalists the one-storey building was formerly a plaza before it was acquired by the church for N300 million and renovated into a worship center.

In a video trending online, worshippers, family members and sympathizers were seen crying during rescue operation at the scene.

Watch the video below.

Lifestyle, World News

The lead pastor and founder of Gracehill Christian Ministries, Warri, Delta State, Prophet Evidence Chikason has reportedly divorced his first wife.

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The lead pastor and founder of Gracehill Christian Ministries, Warri, Delta State, Prophet Evidence Chikason has reportedly divorced his first wife, who is a mother of three children, Praise Chikason.

It was gathered that the prophet, who recently got married to a former choir mistress in his church popularly called Helen, has ordained her as the resident pastor of the Ughelli branch of the church.

According to Warri Aproko Special, Chikason and Helen have had a secret love affair for long and the wife was said to have initially dismissed it when she heard about it probably because of the trust she had for her husband.

“They were so close and always travelled together, which made people not to suspect them earlier.

“They travelled together recently and were involved in a serious accident on their way back from the trip. The Toyota Prado SUV used was damaged beyond repairs. The suspicion of their secret affair grew after the accident.

“Problem started when the prophet’s first wife, Praise Chikason gave birth to their third daughter as he was expecting a male child. This led to trouble and frustrations in their home.

“The prophet then took a step further to pay the bride price of his suspected lover, who was the choir mistress. He also established a branch of the church in Ughelli and made the new wife a pastor of the branch,” a source said.

The source said Praise now prophesies,” “performs miracles and even sells anointing water in her own branch of the church.”

Politics

Why we won’t return Ibori loot to Delta State –Malami

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The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has given a detailed rationale on Tuesday, March 9, as to why the loot recovered from former Delta State Governor, James Ibori will be used for federal projects.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Malami, earlier on Tuesday with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, announced the return of £4.2 million recovered from Mr. Ibori and his friends.

The funds, set to arrive in the country within two weeks, are expected to be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road, and Lagos-Ibadan Express road and not returned to the Delta State Government where it was pilfered from.

The major consideration relating to who is entitled to a fraction or perhaps the money in its entirety is a function of law and international diplomacy,” Mr. Malami said during his Tuesday appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Furthermore, Malami stated that the law which was alleged to have been breached by Ibori was a federal law and that the parties of interests involved in the repatriation of the funds were national and not sub-national governments.

“All the processes associated with the recovery were consummated by the federal government and the federal government is, indeed, the victim of crime and not sub-national,” he said.

When pressed on whether the British government had insisted that the money be spent on certain projects, Mr. Malami said it was not “a matter of insistence but a matter of negotiation between two sovereign states.”

Ibori was convicted by a UK court in 2012 after pleading guilty to 10 charges of fraud and money laundering.

But the negotiations for the repatriation of his looted assets lasted for over seven years, due to what Mr. Malami described as “judicial processes” which require all appeals to be exhausted before final forfeiture is granted.

“This hampered the speedy recovery of the looted assets,” he said.

Mr. Malami, who also doubles as the Minister of Justice, said the government is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets, including more Ibori assets amounting to over £100 million.

Politics, World News

Corruption In NIMC , workers Charge N5,000 For National Identity Number Enrolment In Delta.

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Those of us who cannot part with anything are being treated without respect as if we are slaves. But those who paid are treated like kings and queens.

Workers handling the registration of national identity numbers in Delta State have resorted to extorting prospective registrants as they charged between N3,000 and N5,000 for the enrolment form which is supposed to be free.  

Hundreds of applicants who besieged the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office at Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State were asked to pay to get the forms which are being hoarded by the commission’s staff.

At Effurun, a person who monitored the exercise on Wednesday at the council secretariat observed that the forms were available as expected because the staff hoarded the enrolment forms to sell to desperate applicants.

A registrant said that the extortion was being coordinated by the manager of the NIMC in the area, adding that those who could not afford N3,000 or N5,000 were treated with disdain.

“Officials of the National Identity Management Commission are making a hell of money from this illegal sale of the forms to applicants,” the source said. “Those of us who cannot part with anything are being treated without respect as if we are slaves. But those who paid are treated like kings and queens.

“Do you know that here we are, we saw an officer of the commission receiving N40, 000 from a lady and she was handed a bunch of the enrolment forms. We noticed that the lady came with her entire family members who were tired of waiting on the queue to collect the form. We also saw that the commission’s officials are working hand in hand with some of the illicit business council officials.

“In some cases, some officials of the Uvwie council in connivance with the commission’s officials collect between N9,000 and N10,000 from desperate applicants who are not ready to wait for the enrolment of applicants. In Nigeria, nothing goes for nothing, and it isn’t good. You will be surprised that at the end of the day monies are remitted to some top-ranking officials of the commission,” the applicant said.

NIMC staff at the local government declined to comment on the sharp practices.

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