CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 AND THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Coronavirus shortly called COVID-19 has become a thorne in the flesh of nation's across the world, and it's like a riddle, the answer to it is being sought from different angles and different quarters. 

The world is hopeful that a sure answer or cure could be found in earnest with the determined efforts by leaders at all levels to put the COVID-19 challenges behind.

Coronavirus posing as a global terror disease had cut short the lives of.many across the world, while others are in different categories of infection. It has been a battle being.fought with an invisible foe, but the nations are determined to win, or get over it by all means.

World leading Organizations such as the World Health Organization WHO and the World Trade Organization WTO have been upfront reaching out to nations with.medical equipment and other related needs as widely reported by the media, reads:

"The World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) are collaborating to ensure the normal cross border of medical supplies and other goods and services.

"The DG of WHO Tedros Ghebreyesus and WTO Roberto Kzevedo said both global bodies..."

were in partnership to succeed in the supplies of medical equipment to put a stop to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

All over the world stringent measures have been introduced to curb the menace, restrictions and appliances were and are obeyed

CORONAVIRUS which started in China spread like wild fire across continents leading to introductions and adaptations of measures to keep safe from attacks by the pandemic rules that are:

GUIDE TO PREVENTION

To be safe from COVID-19.citizens of the world were and are enjoined to obey the following rules:

* Stay at home all time unless you need to leave for essential items like groceries.

*If you are on essential erand wear a clothe, face mask and keep your distance from others (about 6 feets) Avoid groups of 10 or more.

*Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough (into your elbow or use a tissue).

*Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Frequently you can use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent.alcohol...

*Clean and distance areas frequently touched surfaces..."

The President of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari had put all these and other measures in place  to stop the spread of the killer virus, which measures were replicated in states, with states adding their own measures to achieve the same goal.

The Government of Bayelsa State led by Senator Douye Diri had taken bold steps to ensure Bayelsan do not fall victim to the attacks of the pandemic, to which end  tough measures have been introduced and with the high level of compliance the state is moving forward.

The total of 140 Coronavirus suspects identified in the state  were reportedly tested negative.

Though that was a good report but Bayelsans were not happy for the fact that the said 140 Coronavirus suspects were not tested in Bayelsa but in Edo State, and that had generated disquiet in certain quatres calling on the government to brace up to the callenges ahead with a view to procuring the necessary COVID-19 medical equipment such as test machines, a befitting decease control center at the state capital with drugs to handle emergency situations and permanent cure.

What about the Local Government headquarters and interlands, and what about the satellite towns, the villages, the fishing settlements and amlets, what preparations?

Are there centers for disease control (CDCS) at the Local Government headquarters to co-ordinate the rural areas and the state capital? 

And are such.(CDCS) powered with desirable equipment, with ambulances for both land and creeks for each LGA, in the state with supervisors to reach out to the nooks and crannies of the state to achieve the desired results of preservation of lives from the scourge of COVID-19?

The Media and Security also need to be given befitting attention and roles to play. Government officials on this project for communication purposes needs walkie talkies, community elightenment and general flow of, information while the Security should be equipped of needs to enforce government orders.

On the distribution of welfare packages to cushion.the effect of the lockdown restrictions in the state, Bayelsa Government  needs "Joseph" to co-ordinate for effective and transparent delivery.

Update of Coronavirus deaths, and survivors '..across the world according to John Hopkins University' as follows:

"2,578,930 have been detected worldwide, with 178,096 deaths and 692, 333 people now recovered."

" In Nigeria there have been 782 cases with 25 deaths and 197 people recovering from the virus.'

" Nine patients five females and four male were discharged from the city's isolation centre today, Health Minister Akin Abayomi  confirmed..."

LATEST OF KENIEBI OKOKO'S DEATH: ACTIVIST CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION ON DR. OLUSOLA BENEDICT

The sudden death of Dr.Keniebi Okoko, a business mogul, billionaire, former governorship aspirant has taken a new turn with Bayelsa born Human and People's Right Activist, Comrade Bodmas Kemepadei raising alarm that the death must have been caused by 'quakery of the medical doctor, Dr. Olusola Benedict Oladipo who  performed cosmetic surgery on Dr. Keniebi Okoko, which led to his death.

He raised the alarm on his Facebook account, that Dr. Olusola Benedict Oladipo was not medically fit to have performed a cosmetic surgery on anybody, thus holding the view that.the death of Dr. Keniebi Okoko might not be  unconnected to the 'quakery' of Dr. Benedict Oladipo, who performed the said controversial cosmetic surgery on him.

Comrade Kemepadei had therefore called on the Ijaw nation not to accept that as their fate, but to step-up  investigation to ascertain the true cause of the death of Dr. Okoko. Hear him:

"... the late Bayelsa born Billionaire Mr. Keniebi Okoko died as a result of quqkery..." His Revelations:

"In a meeting held on December.2, 2016 the Texas Medical Board that "beginning March 1 2017 Dr.Olusola is prohibited from performing or administering.cosmetic procedures or treatments of any kind on any patient in any setting and is prohibited from performing or administering stern cell procedures or stern cell treatments of any kind  to any patient in any setting.

The Board found Dr.Olusola performed cosmetic surgery of five patients that were.allegedly inappropriate or inappropriately performed failed to maintain adequate medical records for seven patients and surrendered DEA controlled substances certificates in view of the alleged failure to comply with Federal requirements pertaining to controlled substances."

The Activist who wants the doctor arrested and prosecuted also said:

" I want to inform the entire Ijaw nation that I have received evidences and shocking Revelations which proved that the doctor who performed the surgery on our brother, late Mr. Keniebi Okoko was banned from performing cosmetic surgery under any circumstances in the US."

"After the Texas Medical Board in the US banned him from performing cosmetic surgery, he ran to Nigeria to continue killing people, and unfortunately he has killed our brother."

Comrade Bodmas Kemepadei concluded.

OPU NEMBE CHIEFS CONCIL CONSTITUTES INTERIM EXCO. WITH CHIEF EKPELEYAI-ORUWARI AS CHAIRMAN

The Opu Nembe Bassambiri Council of Chiefs had constituted an interim Executive committee to pilot it's affairs, members as follows:

1. Chief Ekpeleyai-Oruwari Duate- Chairman

2. Chief B.F.Amakiri- Duo Vice/Chairman

3. Chief W.T.Ivory Fikoru-Secretary

4. Chief N. Dressman Numo-Assistant Secretary

5. Chief (Barr) D.W.Wuku- Bugo- Legal Adviser

6. Chief W.D. Ogbari-Sokari PRO

7. Chief A.S Teki Febo-Treasurer

8. Chief Austin Omuso-Opuene Auditor

9. Chief I.M.Edoghotu-Etire Provost 10. Chief Waribugo Sambo- Isele Provost 2

The dissolution of the Executive Committee came at the heels of a motion raised by Chief (Barr.).S.T. Ikoli during an emergency meeting by the Chiefs Council, held at the sacred floor of the 1st Baptist Church Nembe on Tuesday, 

April 14, 2020.

Chief Ikoli who posited that the erstwhile Executive Committee of the Opu Nembe Council of Chiefs  be dissolved and an interim Executive Committee be constituted with immediate effect also spoke among other things the expiration of the tenure of that Executive Committee described it's members as seating and or operating on illegality.

He reminded his colleagues that the Opu Nembe Chiefs Council and  indeed the heople of the kingdom no longer needed an expired and  or dysfunctional Executive

Committee especially now that  like every other community in our Country Nigeria, and our state Bayelsa, all justling for survival at the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while our community has been relegated to the background by 'a docile, expired and unproductive Executive Committee, Chief Ikoli emphasized,  and subsequently moved for the immediate dissolution of  the Exco.

He was seconded by Chief J.D Allen Ameri and in the absence of a counter motion the Exco. was dissolved.

The Council unanymously as a follow-up, nominated Chief (Prof.) D.K.Derri to co-ordinate the election of the new Exco, who in his wisdom called on the ten groups of Chieftaincy Houses to choose who should represent them at the Executive Committee, that was how the Exco was constituted.

In a brief remark after the Constitution of the Exco. Chief. Derri  reminded the members of their mandate being interim, urged them to endeavor to work in the framework of time with the mandate given, pointing out that stay put attitudes in public offices had been a major problem of leadership.

In his acceptance speech on behalf of the rest, the Chairman, Chief Ekpeleyai-Oruwari Oriango Duate- thanked the traditional parliament for the honor done them with assurances to justify the confidence reposed in them.

The newly elected Traditional Council boss, announced official dissolution of all committees, while calling on both Exco members and those in committees in possession of Council property to submit or hand over to the Council's Secretary.

Ha also used the medium to announce that all citizens of Opu Nembe Bassambiri who had been on exile are free to come back home.without molestations.

In his submission, the Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri, His Royal Highness, King Iyerite Chiefson Awululu commended the Council members for their orderliness at the meeting while emphasizing the needs of the interim Exco to work out strategies to build confidence in the masses to courageously pass through the threats and challenges of the  Coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier the former Vice Chairman Chief B.F..Amakiri Duo who prisided over the meeting, in his opening speech stated that the meeting was in response to demand from various sectors of the community who called on the Chiefs Council to hold such an emergency meeting to address some matters of public interest.

Speaking shortly after the meeting with Golden Pen News, the Honorable member representing Nembe Constituency 2 at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Chief Edward Irigha Brigidi commended the Opu Nembe Bassambiri Chiefs Council for demonstrating full compliance to the rules of COVID-19.

BAYELSA GOVT. TACKLES COVID 19 IN POVERTY, SPRINGS A SURPRISE

The Bayelsa Government led by Senator Douye Diri in the face of excruciating poverty bedeviling the Oil and Gas rich State from inception of office, February 14, 2020 didn't fold hands, but had taken bold steps to checkmate the ravaging dreaded Coronavirus pandemic, sweeping across the world including Bayelsa state.

Senator Douye Diri
The Governor Of it
Bayelsa State

In view of the fact that the present administration in her first 18 days in office due to an alleged inheritance of empty treasury and or paucity of funds went and secured an approval from the Bayelsa State House of Assembly of a whooping amount of N2.9billion bank loan to buy official vehicles, and shortly after that, the coronavirus disease came, just a week after the administration had paid her first salaries in February and was preparing to pay that of March when the hot wind of Coronavirus began to blow.
Golden Pen reliably gathered that  as a result of the deep silence by the Captains of the Bayelsa ship of state who have kept sealed lips over the finances of the State and were not  in the fast lane of giving due attention to the coronavirus pandemic, led to insinuations that the Governor Diri administration may not do anything on COVID 19 because of paucity of funds.
But contrary to all insinuations the Bayelsa State Government.has taken center stage in the battle against Coronavirus having in mind and proving that the Health Sector is one of  the major priority areas of the administration.
And 'to take the bull by the horn' the Government of Senator Diri and Senator Ewhrudjakpo spring a surprise by coming out with laudable visions and actions that had built confidence in the hearts of the people of the State, of their safety.
 In line with global best standards and practices of crowd control to prevent spread of the Coronavirus disease, the State Government had taken some stringent measures as follows:

* Level 1-12 Civil Servants in Bayelsa State were given two weeks leave to stay at home.
* Those on essential duties of health, security, cleaners shall go to work.

Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State

 * The State Government had created impressive awareness through media campaigns of how to be safe from attacks by the virus.    *A  most welcome confident builder was the opening of the screening centre at the entrance of the state capital at Igbogene with a view to knowing the coronavirus status of in-coming travellers to the State after test of positivity or otherwise,  those positive to be   quarantined for treatment.

Allaying fears of Bayelsans that the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri had not contacted the virus despite his official engagements that took him out of the state to Abuja and to the Villa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Inodu Apoku in an emergency Press briefing on Coronavirus, held in the State Capital, Yenagoa announced that the Governor of Bayelsa, Senator Douye Diri  didn't have any link with the Chief of staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari in his engagements:
"His words, "I have no link with Bala Mohamed and Abba Kyari, the Chief of staff to President Buhari, what happened is that at the INEC meeting we normally seat in alphabetic order; after Bauchi is Bayelsa in the seating arrangements.

Dr. Inodu Apoku
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Health, Bayelsa State

" When we had the meeting, he (Senator Bala) had not had any contact with Atiku's son or Abba Kyari At the meeting Kyari was not present. We were told he was in Germany. So, actually I am surprised about the speculation that I had contact with the Chief of Staff." Governor Diri clarifies.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Apoku stated that the  State had taken appropriate measures in collaboration with what he called expanded multi-sectoral task force on the COVID 19 pandemic to tackle the killer disease, which include:  *Suspension of group gathering functions, such as,  wedding ceremonies, burials while gathering in Churches and other worship centres across the state downsized from 50 to 20.
 Dr. Apoku who included hotels and bars as being in the above stated list, used the medium to inform that the Ministry of Transport was directed to enforce reduction of number of passengers they carry with commercial vehicles, tricycles etc.
Meanwhile,the NSCDC in Bayelsa had assigned 250 members of the State command to work hand in hand with the state government to enforce compliance of the orders.
The state Commandant, Mrs Christiana Abiakim Omanu told journalists that the move was in line with the crisis and disaster management mandate of the NSCDC.
The commandant said that the officers and men of the COVID 19 response squad had been adequately sensitized to enable them to respond to emergencies and assist officials of Bayelsa government in disease surveillance.
 Hear this:

"...the Command had complied with the NSCDC Commandant General's directive on collaboration with the state government on enforcement of the preventive guidelines to curtail the spread of Coronavirus."
Mrs Omanu said.
While appreciating the Governor Diri''s less than two months administration for taking the right direction on the Coronavirus pandemic, Bayelsans have while commending the bold initiative called on the Governor not to relent but to put more efforts to reach out to the nooks and crannies of the State with welfare packages to the masses.

LAWMAKER CALLS ON BELEMAOIL TO BE FAIR TO ALL HOST COMMUNITIES

The Honorable Member

Representing Nembe Constituency 3 at the Bayelsa State Assembly, Hon.(Chief) Douglas Sampson Awudulu has called on the Management of Belemaoil Producing Limited to deal fairly with all stakeholders and host Communities in Bayelsa and Rivers States.

Hon. (Chief) Douglas S. Awudulu

This is contained in a letter written by the Lawmaker capped:
"RE-REQUEST FOR AN AUDIENCE FOR THE NON INCLUSION/RECOGNITION OF OLUASIRI COMMUNITIES AND NEMBE BASSAMBIRI AS COMMUNITIES TO OML25 (BELEMA, BELEMA-NORTH, ROBERTKIRI, EKULAMA 1 AND 2)
In the body of the letter dated March 3rd 2020, the Parliamentarian wrote as follows:
"I write to notify you about series of letters/petitions written to me by the people of Nembe Bassambiri and Oluasiri Communities as regards... the above subject matter being their representative in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly."
The letter talks about fair hearing to both parties: Belemaoil Producing Limited and her host communities.
The Lawmaker reminded the company of the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on the verification of disputed Oil wells in December 2000, posited that:
"Based on the said report the Revenue Mobilization And Fiscal Commission advised the Accountant General of the Federation to attribute all oil revenue arising from the Soku (Oluasiri) Oil Fields to Bayelsa State with effect from July, 2004.

Tein Teinbo Seleyefubara Jack Rich
Founder/President
Belemaoil Producing Limited 

"The Committee also recommended that the proceeds from the Oil Field of OML25 Belema Belema-North Robertkiri Ekulama1 and Ekulama 2 should be shared 50-50, between the two states, (Bayelsa and Rivers States) until the resolution of the boundary dispute."
Hon. (Chief) Awudulu remarked, it was worrisome to hear about non-compliance to this directive by both Belemaoil and SPDC reads:
".. despite these recommendations your company and SPDC... refused or neglected ommunities in Oluasiri and Nembe Bassambiri as host communities in respect to the above Oil Fields but only deals with the communities in Rivers State as host communities."
The awareness that made them to be worrisome is that the company set aside N1.5 billion to be paid to stakeholders' communities for the execution of community projects in Rivers State without any corresponding amount paid to the host communities in Bayelsa State."
The letter also stated that the host communities of Bayelsa:
"...are worried that your company has executed a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) with stakeholders communities in Rivers State with the exclusion of communities in Oluasiri... and Nembe Bassambiri of Bayelsa State."
The Parliamentarian stated that the letter was in line with section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, being their representative in the state House of Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Legislative Compliance whose duty it is to hear from both parties under the principles of equity and fair hearing before to invite parties to the floors of the State House of Assembly for clarification of issues if need be.

Hon. (Chief) Sampson Awudulu  craved the indulgence of the Management of Belemaoil

Producing Limited to have audience with him who represents, Mini, Ikensi and Oluasiri and his colleague who represents Nembe Constituency 2 , which comprises Nembe-Bassambiri and her satellite communities to resolve the above stated issues amicably.

N2.9 BILLION LOAN FOR CARS A BRUTAL ATTACK ON THE BAYELSA ECONOMY

Whenever a story is told or news carried, it is of great importance to verify the authenticity or otherwise of such information or story.
In Bayelsa State, so many things have

Senator Douye Diri
Governor of Bayelsa State

happened in the past: especially what our leaders, Governors of

Bayelsa State have been doing one after the other in connivance with successive Houses of Assembly to collect loans from banks to enrich themselves with impunity to the detriment of the land and people of the State.
Taking loans by any Government is not unconstitutional, but such loans were expected to be sourced for and only approved by parliaments after seriously debated the prose and cons if such loans were to service the needs of the people of the State, and not at all, for self enrichment of the Governor and his Deputy or cronies alone.
The whooping amount of N2.9bn bank loan said to have been collected by the less than twenty days old  administration of Senator Douye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively just to buy what they called:

Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere
Speaker Bayelsa House of Assembly

"operational vehicles for the Governor and Deputy Governor for themselves...." is unimaginable, unpatriotic and of course unbelievable.
It is also unpalatable because Bayelsa State at this point and time is profusely bleeding financially, and it was least expected that a succeeding government which inherited a paltry sum of N65,000.00 from the Seriake Dickson  administration as widely reported would take a dive of such fabulous amount of money to service their personal needs to say the least, is highly unpatriotic.
The very first allocation that came from the federation accounts into the treasury of the State, under the Douye Diri administration, diverted or priotised to buying personal cars is like deliberately stifling or brutalizing the already sick ecnomy of the fledgling state to death.
The worry of the ordinary Bayelsan is the fact that the State House of Assembly had never at anytime stepped down such bank loan collection offers from the Executive Arm to either inform the grassroots or consult their constituencies before giving approvals. It is sad to note that the Assembly members who ordinarily entered the hallowed chambers of the Assembly as representatives of their Constituencies now behave contrarily to that truth, taking unilateral decisions as if they no longer have Constituencies.
The few days old House of Assembly with Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere as Speaker was not different from his predecessors behaviors to collect loans from banks.

The hasty approval of the N2.9bn bank loan sourced by Governor  Douy Diri went through a smooth sail, following a motion raised by Hon. Monday Boluo Obolo which  was supported and approved by all the members of the House without a jot of debate.
This is too dangerous for a fledgling State like Bayelsa which though very rich in mineral resources, in the oil and gas dominated national economy is top in the list of poorest and most underdeveloped states in the Federation of Nigeria.
Tongues are wagging, questions are being asked, what happened to the official cars bought by the immediate past Seriake Dickson Government in the same manner with loans collected from banks approved by the State Assembly in the days of Kombowei Benson as Speaker, where are all those cars, were they taken away for private use by the immediate past government?

Or the cars were left behind, but looted  thereafter by some unidentified persons or some unmentionables? Or is it the tradition of Bayelsa State, that any new Government that comes to power must take a jaw breaking billions of Naira loans from banks with huge interests to buy official vehicles?

Otonye Evans Tubonah
The Golden Pen Publisher

And does it mean
that anytime Douye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo  shall leave Government House as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State respectively, they will go with these billions of naira cars for a successor Government to take loans through the Assembly to buy their choice billion naira cars?
If so, is that the way to Prosperity Bayelsans should expect from the Douye Diri administration?

BAYELSA GOV. DOUYE DIRI, SPRINGS A SURPRISE, PAYS SALARIES AS MONTH ENDS

 Civil Servants of Bayelsa State have celebrated Governor Douye Diri for paying their February salaries at the end of the month, which according to some of the celebrating workers who spoke to Golden Pen Newspapers at the State's Secretariat in Yenagoa, under strict conditions of anonymity stated unequivocally that Senator Diri had done what they had not experienced  in the past eight years.

Senator Douye Diri
The Governor of Bayelsa State

Senator Diri who came to power on the 14th of February 2020 following a Supreme Court Judgement, on assumption of duties, told Bayelsans that his administration would be prosperity driven and shall not be a prototype to the immediate past administration.
There were strong insinuations  close to the end of the month from some quarters that Senator Diri had nothing else to offer or to do, except  to follow the footsteps of his predecessor or to sing with his master's voice.
But he had proved all his insinuators wrong asserting that he is a man of his words who cares for the needs and well being of the people of the State.
Some traders at Swali, Opolo and  Kpansia markets expressed joy describing the development as a cursor to prosperity for increasing,  the population of customers that visited their shops within the period, while calling on the Governor to maintain the tempo.