Author: nationalpoint

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaYounger sister to the wife of Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, allegedly abducted last week, has been released according to report reaching us.Elizabeth was allegedly abducted by unknown gunmen at Temple Clinic junction, along Anwai road close to Government House in Asaba.It was alleged that the sum of N150 million was paid as ransom before the victim was released by her abductors on Thursday morning.A Government House source, who spoke on account of anonymity confirmed her release but denied any  knowledge of ransom.Contacted, commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Adeyinka Adeleke, claimed denied any knowledge of the…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaDame Edith OkowaIn commemoration of the International Day of Charity, wife of Delta State governor, Dame Edith Okowa has reached out to some indigent patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba with the 0’5 Initiative and defrayed the bills of 23 indigent patients to the tune of N5.9 million.Speaking at the event put up to show care and support to the less privileged, Dame Edith Okowa observed that there are needy people around and some of them are faced with various health challenges and cannot buy drugs or pay their hospital bills while many children are roaming the streets because…

By Samantha HargreavesHowever, women are at the epicentre of resistance to dispossessions of their land, water, forests and way of life. It is in defence of these that women are proposing the development alternatives  needed to stave off the worst of the coming catastrophe and adapt to a world radically transformed by a changed climate.Mining, accumulation and the social and ecological crisisMining and the extractives economy in Africa (and elsewhere in the developing world) are a clear example of imperialist exploitation of the periphery for the benefit of the centre – the triad of North America, Europe and Japan. Capital…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaDelta State Government has condemned in strong terms, the spate of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu who condemned the spate of attacks while speaking to journalists in Asaba, however cautioned against retaliatory attacks as it would worsen the economy of the nation and increase the level of unemployment which has risen to an all-time high.He called on Deltans to maintain existing peace and shun every form of retaliation as it would affect Deltans and Nigerians who own and work in the business outfits being targeted for…

Taryn RyderHaley Smith, a contestant who appeared on season 11 of American Idol, died over the weekend after a motorcycle crash in Millinocket, Maine. She was 26.According to reports, Smith was pronounced dead at the scene following a single-vehicle accident that occurred around 2 a.m. Saturday morning. Police say she failed to navigate a sharp turn. Her father spoke to TMZ and speculated a deer might have caused her to veer off the road, as his daughter was a good rider who likely wouldn’t have lost control of her bike.Haley Smith appears on a 2012 episode of American Idol. (Photo: American Idol/Fremantle/19 Entertainment via YouTube)MoreSmith…

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, escaped being killed by gunmen who invaded the venue of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Kogi State. Fintiri is the chairman of the Election Committee.The governorship primaries for the November 16 election in Kogi State ended abruptly in the early hours of Wednesday, as gunmen invaded the venue of the election at the Lokoja Confluence Stadium.Voting had ended and sorting of votes were going on when the gunmen came to the venue at about 1:45a.m. and started shooting from different directions.According to report, votes in eight out of the 10…

NOT less than seven out of 16 governorship aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Kogi East have collapsed there structures to support Captain Idris Wada former governor of Kogi State.One of the spokespersons of Kogi East Elders Council , Arc. Gabriel Aduku, disclosed this on Tuesday, while addressing newsmen in Lokoja ahead of the PDP governorship primaries.According to him there was a meeting between them and nine governorship aspirants from Kogi East that were contesting on Monday till Tuesday morning.He mentioned that at the meeting it was seriously deliberated upon that there was no need for everyone to…

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding Nigeria on behalf of its over 220 member organisations spread across the six geo political zone wishes to express deepest concern and dismay at the escalation of violent conflicts across Nigeria.  The increasing prevalence of the Boko Haram insurgency, farmers-herders clashes, militancy, secessionist movements, land disputes, power tussle, banditry and kidnappings, etc., have resulted in wanton destruction of lives and properties. The Round 26 Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) assessment by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals that between 20 October 2018 and January 20, 2019, the trends from six states most affected by…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaDelta State Executive Council has approved the release of N1.5 billion counterpart fund to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for funding of primary education in the state for 2019.Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu, made this known while briefing the media on the outcome of the council meeting presided by the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in Asaba.Aniagwu, in a joint briefing with his Youths Development counterpart, Mr Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, said Delta was one of the few states consistent with payment of the counterpart fund to UBEC.He explained that the state government was…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaIn order to ensure projects executed in Delta State are done to specifications and delivered on schedule, the state executive council has approved the establishment of a Project Monitoring Unit.This was made known to newsmen in Asaba by the state commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu while briefing the press on the outcome of the executive meeting.The commissioner noted that the approval is in line with the governor’s desire to deliver projects that will touch the lives of the people for a long time to come. He added that exco also approved the review of the cost…