Representative of the Minister of Education, Dr Goke Adegoroye (L) Addressing Participants at a Symposium to Commemorate 2008 World Teachers Day in Abuja Recently, with Him are Director, Tertiary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Emmanuel Okon (M) and Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Dr Moses Ojo.

Niger Delta Crisis: Group Suggests Amnesty to Freedom Fighters
The Ijaw National Human Right O r g a n i z a t i o n (INHRO) has suggested amnesty to the freedom fighters as the only solution to ensuring lasting peace in the Niger Delta region. Making this recommendation in a statement arising from an emergency meeting of the group at PTI conference hall, Warri, it stated that unless there is a total and unconditional amnesty granted to the freedom fighters in the region by the President Yar'Adua led administration, the president would have no meaningful achievement to show Nigerians after one year in office.

In the press release signed by Comrade Festus Olotu, the group stated that if the FG is sincere in it quest to address the problems in the region, it should grant amnesty to the freedom fighters. It however advised the FG that in choosing to grant amnesty to the militants, it should also engage in formal dialogue with the leaders of the freedom fighters directly and not with third party groups. This move, it said would go a long way to create a permanent solution to the protracted crisis in the region.

INHRO also frowned at the slow pace of the Yar'Adua's administration in addressing the problems of the Niger Delta since inception of office, saying that the president's delay at actualizing the desire of the people of the region was an indication that he has reneged on the promises made to the Niger Delta region during his electoral campaign.

"Yar'Adua has drawn a seven point agenda that he has not actualized and he has been unable to resolve problem from the grassroots in the region, rather, he is emulating his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's approach where army invaded Odi community by military bombardment and in Gbaramutu Kingdom by military helicopter and gunship in February, 2008". These condemnable antecedents are on record worldwide and our group will stand as a watchdog on Nigeria's nascent democracy which tends to jettison social justice to the people of Niger Delta".

Jon Egie, Ughelli

Expert Points to Dangers, Wastage in Fingerlings Consumption
ALecturer at the College of E d u c a t i o n (COEWA), Warri, Mr. Lucky Akpere has cautioned against the fishing for consumption of premature fish, pointing to significant economic waste and health hazard in the growing fondness for indiscriminate chase of fingerlings among fish farmers.

Drawing these conclusions in a chat with Niger Delta STANDARD, Mr. Akpere revealed that a recent study he conducted on a number of fishing communities lining Ughelli South coastal line, showed that a lot of farmers, fishing for commercial interests or self consumption engage in the uncontrolled catching of freshly hatched fingerling of varied species for direct consumption without nursing them to maturity.

The educationist noted that the consumption of such premature fish goes with no added nutritional value to the consumers as the products are too young to bear in required quantity and quality of the nutrients and minerals derivable from the intake of fish products, likening the situation to the eating of day old chick or cow in instances. Mr. Akpere is, however more concerned about the economic waste in the marked propensity to consume premature fish, adding that "why hunt week old tilapia or cat fish fingerlings straight to the soup pot for much less when such catch, if left to mature would earn the fisherman much more fortune with the multiplier effect of letting them reproduce themselves before harvesting them?".

He said in this period of global food shortage, any economy with a rich fishing culture and supportive natural resources must make the best of the opportunity to provide available fish products, warning that continued attack on fingerlings for consumption will only deplete the population of aquatic lives in our coastal fields.

The agriculturists advised fish farmers and consumers alike to embrace the culture in advanced economies where fishermen are so sensitive to catching fingerlings that they would rather grant freedom to premature fish so caught, giving them a lifetime opportunity to get mature and replenish the fish population instead of being caught and consumed premature.

Egufe Yafugborhi, Jeremi

Group Rejects Yar'Adua’s Slow Pace in Addressing National Issues
The Vanguard for T r a n s p a r e n t Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) has rejected the decision by President Yar'Adua to adopt a slow pace approach to addressing what it described as, critical and fundamental political and socio-economic problems, now confronting and threatening the Peace, Unity and Sovereignty of Nigeria.

VADLAD National President, Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmanuel who spoke to the NIGER DELTA STANDARD in Warri, said after a critical analysis and timing of President Yar'Adua's decision, vis a vis his current health status, the group had come to the conclusion that his action was solely propelled and driven by selfish interest.

"This interest is to slow down the pace of Nigeria's growth and development to synchronize with his current health and mental ability and capacity in providing leadership to our nation." According to the group, President Yar'Adua's decision was akin to reneging on his earlier promise taken on Oath to urgently deliver on dividends of Democracy and to consolidate on the positive gains recorded by his predecessors, particularly President Obasanjo on areas of political and socio-economic Reforms and reengineering.

The group stressed further that the President's decision was also a gross violation of the Oath of Office of the President as contained in the Seventh schedule of the Nigerian Constitution which states in part "that I (President Yar’Adua) will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct".

They noted that whereas his health challenge was of genuine concern for all Nigerians and prayed for his speedy recovery but said that it must be stated unequivocally that the overall interest of the nation overrides the interest of any President or any individual at all time and in all situations. "In today's growing and more competitive competition amongst nations for survival in the new world order under Globalisation, it would amount to the greatest threat to survival and existence of a nation and her millions of citizens like in the case of Nigeria for any leader to slow down the pace of national development and competition."

The group reminded the nation that the reason for the increasing unrest and insecurity across the nation was due to frustration of Nigerians as a result of the inability of their leaders to keep or increase the pace of development and growth to actualise their collective dreams and aspirations as promised on October 1, 1960.

Omafume Amurun, Warri

Next Page >>