News
The Yahaya Bello Factor: Allegations of Political Protection Behind Kogi West’s Mining Crisis
Beneath the rich soil of Kogi West, vast deposits of gold, lithium, and other rich mineral deposits promise prosperity. But for the local communities, this mineral wealth has become a wave of insecurity, land grabbing, and fear that residents and security sources directly attribute to powerful political figures and their foreign proxies.
Based on reports from 2024 and 2025, by David Hundeyin there are allegations linking former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to illegal mining activities, particularly involving the extraction of solid minerals in the Yagba area of Kogi West.
An investigation spanning several weeks, involving interviews with community leaders, security personnel, and mining experts, reveals a disturbing pattern: licensed and illegal miners, allegedly backed by prominent politicians, are suspected of arming bandits to terrorize local populations, driving them from their ancestral lands to allow for unchecked and highly profitable mineral extraction.
The Kogi West Blueprint: Politicians, Proxies, and Fear
The epicenter of this crisis is in the communities of Kogi West Senatorial District. Residents, who spoke exclusively on condition of anonymity for fear of violent reprisals, point fingers at a well-known network.
“The mining sites are not run by our people,” one community elder from Yagba West Local Government Area explained, his voice barely a whisper. “They are being done by proxy by some Chinese who are holding it for prominent Kogi politicians. Among them is a former Chief of Staff and a former Governor. They have the cover, and the Chinese have the machines. We have the suffering.”
The modus operandi, as described by multiple sources, follows a chillingly consistent script:
Mineral-rich communities are identified, often through covert surveying.
Large parcels of land are acquired through a combination of coercion, deceit, and the exploitation of poverty. Locals report being offered paltry sums for land they did not fully understand the value of.
For those who refuse to sell or who later protest, intimidation begins. This starts with threats and escalates to violent attacks by armed men who arrive on motorcycles, often in the dead of night.
Once the community is sufficiently terrorized and displaced, the mining operations begin in earnest. Heavy machinery, operated primarily by Chinese nationals, moves in, guarded by private security forces that locals view as an occupying army.
“Most of these lands were sold ignorantly and secretly,” lamented a youth leader from Yagba East LGA. “Our fathers were given crumbs for what they thought was barren land. They were told it was for farming. Now, we see trucks upon trucks leaving with our gold and that black stone [lithium]. When we try to ask questions, we are met with bullets.”
The state government has repeatedly announced initiatives to curb illegal mining, but residents claim these efforts are cosmetic, targeting only small-scale, local artisanal miners while leaving the large, politically-connected operations untouched.
A Disturbing Pattern: From Niger to Zamfara
The situation in Kogi West is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, more sinister pattern replicated across Nigeria’s mineral-rich regions.
Niger State: In areas like Shiroro, a direct nexus has been established between armed bandits and illegal miners. Bandits attack villages, killing and kidnapping locals, creating a security vacuum. They then offer “protection” to illegal miners operating in the seized territory, taking a cut of the profits. This creates a perverse economy where insecurity becomes a profitable business model for both the bandits and their sponsors.
Zamfara State: This state became the textbook case of the phenomenon. Illegal gold mining was so rampant and so deeply tied to armed banditry that the federal government declared a no-fly zone and implemented a full-scale ban on mining activities in 2019 to cut off the funding source for the terrorists. Despite this, reports persist of operations continuing under the protection of armed groups.
Katsina and Kaduna States: Similar reports echo from these states, where communities accuse “outsiders” of collaborating with bandits to dispossess them of their land, particularly gold-rich areas.
In each case, the playbook is the same: use violence to create fear and displacement, then move in to exploit the resources. The profits from this illegal trade are then used to purchase more weapons, fund more attacks, and bribe officials, creating a vicious, self-sustaining cycle of violence and exploitation.
Land Grabbing: The Arm-twisting Tactics of Economic Terrorists
A sad case of land grabbing is the ongoing legal dispute by Iddo-Ojesa community in Yagba East local government with Relix Mining Company Limited (Chinese company) who through alleged wrong negotiation with Joshman Multiconcept Limited (Nigeria Company owned by current Chairman of Yagba East LGA) and other impersonators reportedly swindled an unsuspecting Chinese company in the fraudulent purchase of a large expanse of land that is up to a quarter of the entire LGA!
On the 17th of January 2023, a consent was signed between the Omo Meru Family of Iddo Ojesa community and Joshman Multiconcept Company, owned by the current Chairman Yagba East Local Government Area, Mr Dare Joshua, for a mining exploration licence covering a small portion of the family land.
Mr Dare’s company failed to stick to earlier agreement by selling the entire Meru family land to the unsuspecting Chinese company (Rellix Mining Limited) aided by unscrupulous representatives of Meru’s family and others who appended their signatures to the illicit deal without the consent of the family head and other principal members of the family.
Meru’s family has an ancestral land in Odo- Osin. There has never been any dispute in the past and interestingly, Meru Family are one of the largest land owner in Yagba land and Okun nation in general.
Joshman Multconcept Limited only came into the scenario January 2023 for a consent letter towards mining exploration which was given to him. It was later discovered that the consent letter signed on 17th January 2023 for the exploration licences was doctored by Mr Dare’s company and resubmitted for the purpose of small scale mining lease, but both documents bear the same date which is quite impossible if due process was followed.
By July 2023, Mr Dare came seven months after the consent letter was issued to his company and connived with some elders who are illiterates and created the impression to the elders that a compensation will be paid to the family as a result of the consent granted to his company. He told them they must append their signatures on some document in the palace of Agbana of Isanlu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Moses Etombi. The elders includes: Chief Osadumi Sunday, Elder Elder Rowland Olorunsola, among others. They were made to sign agreement for the sale of the entire land covering over 253 square kilometres which is over a quarter of the Local Government Area.
With documents presented to the Chinese company, the land mass currently in dispute has encroached into many other communities including Idofin, Makutu, Odogbe, Ilafin and part of Ifare, Iboro, Ofe, Ipele clans in both Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas.
Curiously, the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) for the disputed land has been issued by the state government. More curious is the fact that the date on the CofO showed it was issued within 24 hours after the land agreement was signed. This further proves the interest of some state actors in the ongoing land grabbing activities in Kogi West.
The Forgotten Communities: Minerals Rich Villages’ Neglect a Deliberate Act?
Most of the communities under intense bandit attacks across Kogi West are ‘forgotten towns, villages and hamlets’. With near zero social amenities, the obvious neglect by government is glaring in these communities.
When bandits began to attack communities like Okoloke, Isanlu Esa in Yagba West LGA, Olle Bunu and other interior communities in Kabba Bunu LGA, Odogbe, Idofin and Ilafin in Yagba East LGA, many wondered why they were being attacked. These are communities populated mainly by poor peasant farmers and low-income traders. There are no security posts in these forgotten communities.
Emerging evidence showed that these poor communities have diverse economically viable mineral deposits in their soil.
A registered Nigerian Company with Registration No RC 1091756, Sincerity Mining And Construction Co Ltd, posted on their corporate website that the company was granted an Exploration License on 4 Cadastral Units by the Mining Cadastral Office an Agency under the Ministry of Solid Minerals & Mines on the 8th of September 2015 to get involved in mining activities.
The allocation was at Okoloke, Yagba West, Kogi State, Nigeria. The Exploration License is for Tantalite & Gold Exploration but surprisingly, the Geology and Geochemical Survey discovered arrays of Minerals that were not quoted to be in Nigeria. These strange discoveries at National Geological and Mineral Laboratories Kaduna further led the Geologist from Nigeria Geological Survey Agency to send the report of the tests to Bureau Veritas Laboratories of Canada to conduct further tests of the materials which led to the discoveries of the following in the other of importance – (1) Nickel (2) Chromium (3) Cobalt (4) Copper (5) Barium (6) Marble (7) Gold etc.
“Further Exploration exercises carried out include a Geotechnical Survey, Aeromagnetic Data Interpretation among others that led to the Government granting of expansion of the Cadastral Units from the initial 4 units plus an additional 148 units on the 2nd Exploration License and subsequently the grant of SSML (Small Scale Mining Lease) while Exploration exercises continue the 148 Cadastral.
“On record, it was on our Okoloke Site, Kogi State that the Nickel, Chromium, and Cobalt were first discovered in Nigeria before that of Kaduna State for which a visiting Australian Minister of Mines a few years ago quoted as a strange occurrence in Nigeria.
“The Laboratory Tests conducted at FUTA (Federal University of Technology) Akure, Ondo State this year 2022 further confirm the presence of Lithium Ore through Geochemical Analysis with further tests on other associated minerals ongoing on the same site,” the company wrote on its website.
It is confirmed that many of these communities in Kogi West have huge solid mineral deposits. Also, these communities are grossly under-developed. They were deprived basic amenities and now being ruthlessly displaced by unchecked armed terrorists. People are already asking if these communities were deliberately sidelined in the development initiatives to frustrate them and probably force them to leave their lands for better communities.
Mining Activities Remain a Black Market Operation in Kogi West
Indigenes of host mining communities are largely unaware of what is going on in their forests. Only a few sellouts know the companies mining in their communities and they prefer it remains so.
They approach local miners, usually artisanal, and ask about mineral-rich communities. They know the areas better than these foreigners, so they take them to the mining sites and introduce them to the traditional rulers. They pay these monarchs between five hundred thousand and two million naira, depending on the sincerity of the middlemen. The excited traditional ruler readily gives them letter of consent to operate in their forests. They also sign the mandatory Community Development Agreements (CDAs) without input from their subjects. In almost all mining host communities, contents of CDAs are not known by indigenes. A preferred black market operation. The traditional rulers are usually excited because they felt the coming of ‘investors’ will bring rapid development to their communities. It is worth mentioning that these are usually ‘forgotten communities’ with little or no government presence. Of course, the ‘greek gift’ also encouraged these tradition rulers to act without carrying out due diligence.
The state government has not been transparent in its dealings in this sector as well. Few months ago, the incumbent Governor announced the acquisition of 15 mining licenses and promised to involve communities in the operations. He is the first Governor to make public the state government acquisition of mining licenses. Truth is, this is not the first time Kogi state government is securing licenses and seeking ‘investors’ to trade with in the extractive industry. Since the acquisition was done in secret, these licenses usually ended up in private hands without public knowledge.
Hostile Takeover of Mining Sites
The battle that began in the forest is currently consuming communities. Quite a number of mining sites across Kogi West are not known to Ministry of Solid Minerals Development or the cadastre office. Legal, illegal and unlicensed artisanal miners control these sites. For the illegal miners, their men largely live in the forests, sleeping in makeshift huts and are usually armed to protect themselves. Battle for control of these mining sites have seen the weaker players being displaced violently by the sides with state backing. Changes in government also brings about change in power play in these forests. When the lesser ones are displaced they usually find it difficult to re-integrate themselves back into normal society having spent years being ‘Lords of the Forests’. They are still armed and now jobless. Crime becomes the easiest route to survival.
In March 2025, while celebrating one year success of the mining marshals, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, announced that 3,000 illegal gold miners had been flushed out.
He alluded to the fact that these illegal miners had some sort of of corporate backing.
“The gravity of illegal mining worsened with the emergence of companies that collaborate with individual miners to perpetrate this evil. While individual illegal miners are unable to excavate deeply due to the limitations of modern equipment and finance, corporate collaborators encourage deeper excavation and scale up the criminality.
“The first clearance operation took place at Mining Lease 19325 of North-South Extractive Industries Limited, located in Jagula, off Isanlu in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. Over 3,000 illegal miners were digging and carting away precious grams of gold, whereas threats barred the real owners, who obtained the license in 2016, from operations.
“The Mining Marshals flushed them out completely and stationed men on site to maintain law and order till date,” he said.
This clearance operation was carried out by federal government without recourse to sub-national authorities. Nobody monitored where those dislodged moved to after the clearance operation.
Our Lives Better Off Before the Coming of ‘Investors’
The communities that have come under severe attacks in Kogi West are largely agrarian communities. They have lived in peace for decades living and enjoying their simple lives. Though not rich to afford luxury lifestyles, they were happy people.
When miners started coming in, their hopes were high that mother fortune had smiled on them. They thought their communities will get benefits that had eluded them for decades but years after, there is nothing to show for their hospitality.
Instead of getting a better lease of life, their fortunes sadly nosedived. Their dusty but motorable roads are now in sorry state. Their main source of sustenance, farms, are no longer accessible due to activities of armed hoodlums. Despondency sets in.
Peace has eluded their communities and the usual low-budget fun activities have all ceased.
Is it a curse to have mineral deposits in their communities?
Observations and The Human Cost
Our investigation observed several key issues:
The mining sites are ecological disaster zones. Forests are cleared, deep, unregulated pits are dug and left open, and waterways are contaminated with mercury and other chemicals, poisoning the primary source of water for remaining communities
The promise of jobs for locals is a mirage. The skilled operation of heavy machinery and security is handled by outsiders. Young men in the communities, stripped of their farmlands, are left in poverty, making them vulnerable to recruitment by the very bandits terrorizing them.
Beyond the land, communities are being stripped of their heritage. Sacred sites and ancestral graves have been desecrated and bulldozed minerals.
The most palpable observation is the overwhelming climate of fear. No one is willing to speak on the record. The names of the powerful politicians are an open secret in whispered conversations, but the fear of being labeled, attacked, or “disappeared” ensures public silence.
The illegal mining in Kogi West and beyond is more than an economic crime; it is a primary driver of Nigeria’s internal security crisis. It represents a brutal form of resource-backed colonialism, where local populations are violently subdued so that national resources can be carted away with impunity.
Until there is a sincere, unbiased effort to dismantle the powerful political and corporate networks behind this trade—and to address the complicity of elements within the security forces—the cycle of violence will continue. The land in Kogi West may hold the key to a technological future powered by lithium and a prosperous future built on gold, but for now, it only yields fear and bloodshed.
Source: https://x.com/davidhundeyin/status/1801546826165727303?s=48&t=6183R9SJ6i9BggqMHCBt5g
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku climbs another rung on the golden-floor ladder of life on August 19, 2026, marking 51 years of a life defined by purpose, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the Niger Delta region.
Born in Ayakoro, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, his journey from the creeks and crowded neighbourhoods of the region to the helm of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is more than a personal story. It is a living expression of what he has described as “Rewind to Rebirth”: the deliberate act of learning from the past to rebuild a stronger, more hopeful future.
Dr Ogbuku’s early years were shaped by the realities of the Niger Delta. He attended public schools in Port Harcourt before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political and Administrative Studies from the University of Port Harcourt. Further studies led to a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Development Studies.
Alongside academic excellence, he cut his teeth as a student activist and later served as Public Relations Officer of the Ijaw Youth Council (Central Zone). Those formative experiences instilled in him a deep understanding of the region’s struggles and a firm belief that dialogue, education, and opportunity remain the most effective paths to lasting peace. His career has been a steady progression of service. He worked as a Personal Assistant in the Ministry of Petroleum, served as Chief of Staff in the Bayelsa State Government House, managed agricultural enterprises, and later acted as Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs.
In 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed him Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC. He inherited an agency long criticised for inefficiency and uncompleted projects. Under his leadership, the Commission has shifted from what he terms a “transactional” approach to a “transformational” one.
The results are visible across the region. Thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated. Bridges and jetties have improved connectivity. Health centres have been built and equipped, while free healthcare outreaches have brought medical services to thousands.
The “Light Up the Niger Delta” initiative has extended electricity to communities long left in darkness. Scholarships have opened doors for young people, with many achieving distinction both at home and abroad. These interventions reflect a consistent philosophy: development must be felt by ordinary people in their daily lives.
At the heart of this work lies the “Rewind to Rebirth” agenda, articulated in his writings, including Rethinking the Niger Delta. It is a call to examine past mistakes honestly, discard what has not worked, and rebuild institutions, infrastructure, and trust with clearer purpose.
For Dr. Ogbuku, turning 51 is not merely a personal milestone. It is another opportunity to reaffirm that the Niger Delta’s future can be brighter than its past if leadership remains focused on results, accountability, and the people.As communities, colleagues, and well-wishers celebrate this birthday, the most fitting tribute is continued support for the unfinished work of regional transformation. Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s 51 years remind us that purpose, when rooted in service, has the power to rewrite the story of an entire region one project, one community, and one generation at a time.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
The Mission Continues!!!
Jim George Willy Ibimina
Writes from Niger Delta.
News
Transformative Path Born in Ayakoro, Built for Impact: The Leadership Legacy of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku
In the quiet riverine community of Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, a dynamic leader was born on August 19, 1975, who would one day help reshape the fortunes of the entire Niger Delta. That Leader is Dr. Samuel Ogbuku. Today, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Paramount Ruler of Ayakoro Kingdom (Daufa VI), his journey from the creeks of Bayelsa to the centre of regional development stands as one of the most compelling stories of service and impact in contemporary Nigeria.
Roots in Ayakoro
Dr. Ogbuku’s early years were shaped by the realities of the Niger Delta region: its beauty, its struggles, and its unfulfilled promises. Though he spent much of his childhood in Port Harcourt, regular visits home to Ayakoro left a lasting impression. The underdevelopment he witnessed in his ancestral community planted a quiet determination: if opportunity ever came, he would use it to change the lives of his people.
He began his formal education at Christ the King School, Oromenike, Port Harcourt, obtaining his First School Leaving Certificate in 1987. He proceeded to Government Secondary School, Borokiri, before gaining admission into the University of Port Harcourt. There he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political and Administrative Studies in 2000. He later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Sociology, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, a Master’s degree, and finally a Doctor of Philosophy in Political and Administrative Studies and Development Studies in 2021. Education, for him, was never merely personal advancement; it was preparation for service.
From Activism to Administration
As a young man, Ogbuku was deeply involved in the Niger Delta struggle. He served as Public Relations Officer of the Ijaw Youth Council (Central Zone) and cut his teeth in student activism. Those early years taught him the language of agitation, but also the limits of confrontation. He gradually moved into structured public service.
Between 2005 and 2007 he worked as Personal Assistant to the Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Petroleum. From 2007 to 2012 he served as Chief of Staff at the Bayelsa State Government House, at the time one of the youngest people to hold that position in Nigeria. He later managed Fulfilled Farms Nigeria Limited, deepening his interest in agriculture and aquaculture, before serving as Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs to the Deputy President of the Senate. These roles gave him practical experience in governance, crisis management, personnel administration, and the complex politics of the oil-producing region.
He had the rare privilege of being appointed twice as MD/CEO of the NDDC by two Nigerian Presidents; first by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2022, and again by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in August 2023 for a fresh four-year tenure.
Ogbuku arrived at the NDDC with both institutional knowledge and lived experience of the challenges he was expected to solve.
Transforming the NDDC
The NDDC Ogbuku inherited carried a heavy burden of unfinished projects, public scepticism, and institutional turbulence. He responded with a clear philosophy: move the Commission from “transaction to transformation.” The focus shifted decisively toward completing legacy projects, improving transparency, and delivering visible results.
Under his leadership, the Commission has made measurable progress in infrastructure. Thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated, dozens of bridges and jetties completed, and major connecting projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, the Ibeno Bridge, and the Kaa-Ataba Bridge advanced or delivered. Electrification initiatives, including the “Lighting Up the Niger Delta” programme, have brought power to communities that had lived for years in darkness.
In healthcare, the NDDC constructed and equipped numerous health centres and revived free medical outreach programmes that have provided tens of thousands of patients with care, including thousands of surgeries. Education and youth empowerment received renewed attention through expanded scholarship schemes, school rehabilitation, and skills programmes designed to give young people alternatives to restiveness.
King Ogbuku has also emphasised institutional reform, working with professional partners to strengthen governance systems and prioritise accountability. His administration secured significant budgetary support and focused resources on completing abandoned projects rather than endlessly initiating new ones.
Returning Home as Traditional Ruler
In June 2026, Dr. Ogbuku was installed as Paramount Ruler of Ayakoro Kingdom with the title Daufa VI, succeeding the late monarch after serving as Deputy Paramount Ruler. The dual role technocrat by day and traditional father by night reflects the depth of his connection to his roots. He has pledged to lead with humility, promote peace and unity, and work with stakeholders for the sustained progress of Ayakoro and the wider region.
A Living Legacy
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s story is still being written. At just over fifty, he continues to occupy one of the most demanding development positions in Nigeria while simultaneously carrying traditional responsibilities in his hometown. What distinguishes his trajectory is consistency of purpose: a young man from Ayakoro who never lost sight of the community that raised him, and who has used every platform activism, government, private enterprise, and now the NDDC to push for tangible change.
Conclusion
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku’s journey from Ayakoro to the leadership of the NDDC shows that true impact begins with a deep love for one’s people. Through hard work, focus, and a clear vision, he continues to turn challenges into progress for the Niger Delta. His legacy is still growing, but the difference he is making is already being felt in communities across the region.
From the mangrove creeks of Bayelsa to the boardrooms of regional development, his path illustrates a simple but powerful idea: impact is possible when knowledge, experience, and genuine attachment to place are combined with the courage to confront difficult institutions. In the Niger Delta, that combination is already producing results that communities can see and feel.
Martins Ibigomie Ogolo
Public Affairs Analyst
martins.ogolo@yahoo.com
The member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Sam Atu, has flagged-off the completion of the 1.3-kilometre Ndafufa-Ugwuaji–Obeagu Link Road to further open up Enugu metropolis.
The project is part of a phased intervention aimed at improving road connectivity and opening up communities within the constituency.
The first phase covered the Ayo Open Space–Ndafufa Ugwuaji, while this second phase will cover Ndafufa Ugwuaji – Obeagu link road. The third phase is expected to extend to the Obeagu–Obinagu–Obeagu Amechi link road.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Tuesday, Hon. Atu emphasised the critical role of road infrastructure in driving economic growth, enhancing connectivity and improving the quality of life of residents.
He explained that the third phase of the project would capture adjoining communities, including Obinagu and Amechi, further expanding the network of accessible roads across the area.
According to him, it is another milestone in the drive towards infrastructure development in Enugu North and South Federal Constituency.
Responding, the President-General of the Obeagu Ugwuaji Town Union, Chief Freedom Obi, expressed the community’s excitement over the project, describing the intervention as significant to the development of the area.
Obi also commended Atu for the quality of work executed during the first phase.
Speaking on the technical specifications and timeline of the project, Engr. Ikechukwu Okorie of Ideas Construction Limited, assured that the earthworks and double-drainage system would be completed before November 2026.
Okorie, who is the engineer in-charge of the project, said: “The road is designed with a standard width of 7.5 metres (in-to-in).
“It will have a dual-drainage system to facilitate effective water flow, protect the road and enhance its durability.”
The completion of the project is expected to strengthen connectivity between Ugwuaji, Obeagu and neighbouring communities, while facilitating the movement of people, goods and services and stimulating economic activities within the area.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has called for a shift from confrontational labour relations to strategic collaboration between organised labour and government.
The National President of the association, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, made the call at the South East Zonal Workshop of ASCSN in Enugu, where public sector stakeholders, union executives and government representatives examined emerging challenges in industrial relations and public service efficiency.
Mohammed said the workshop marked a turning point in the history of labour relations in Nigeria, stressing that modern public administration required dialogue, data-driven advocacy, collective bargaining and mutual respect.
According to him, “true progress for the Nigerian worker is no longer achieved solely on the streets through friction, but at the round table through data-driven advocacy, mutual respect, collective bargaining and strategic alignment.”
He identified three key pillars for effective labour-government collaboration: supporting a robust public service capable of funding workers’ welfare, engaging government early before disputes escalate, and equipping workers with modern administrative and negotiation skills.
The ASCSN president urged participants to approach management disputes with institutional solutions rather than immediate ultimatums, saying negotiation should produce outcomes that benefit both government and civil servants.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as transformational leadership in Enugu State, particularly his efforts to transition the state from a public-sector-driven economy to a private-sector-driven one.
Also speaking, the Enugu State Head of Service, Dr. Godwin Chinonso Anigbo, said the civil service remained the bedrock of governance, given its critical role in policy formulation and implementation.
Anigbo said changing times required both labour and government to abandon win-lose approaches and embrace solutions that would serve the interests of all parties.
He urged organised labour to move beyond reliance on strike ultimatums, while advising government to avoid what he described as “judicial ambushes” in industrial courts as a means of frustrating legitimate union demands.
The Head of Service disclosed that the Enugu State Government had established a Public Service Training Institute to promote policy research and build institutional capacity.
He also challenged civil servants to take ownership of government policies and their implementation, warning against the traditional mindset that “Soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.”
According to him, “if governance fails, both the policymakers and implementers have failed.”
In a goodwill message, Mrs. Ndidiamaka Oke, who represented the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Enugu State, said collaboration remained the most effective approach to resolving contemporary challenges in the public service.
She said, “Collaboration does not mean abandoning your legitimate rights. Collaboration rather means giving workers opportunity for constructive dialogue.”
Oke stressed that constructive dialogue would enable labour and government to resolve disputes while strengthening industrial harmony and improving public service delivery.
She commended ASCSN for providing an intellectual platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, experiences and practical solutions, expressing confidence that the workshop’s outcome would deepen cooperation between government, management and organised labour.
Wike stated this while speaking during an inspection tour of flood-affected areas in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday.
Wike said the fragmented nature of the opposition would make it difficult for the parties to mount a strong challenge against Tinubu in 2027.
He declared, “This election, the 2027 election, will be the easiest election for Mr President. 2023 was a tough election for him.”
The former Rivers State governor further argued that the opposition had been weakened by defections and political movements ahead of the next election.
He said, “This election, where the opposition has been crippled, you know what it means? Depleted; they finished them.”
Wike said a credible opposition needed to spend years building a strong political structure instead of moving from one party to another in search of an electoral platform.
He said, “For you to be opposition to remove a government, it must be what you call a strong, vibrant opposition that has stayed for over four years planning, not opposition that is looking for a party to run to.”
He added, “Today, they’re going to Party A. So, you see, that kind of opposition can never win.”
Wike was emphatic about Tinubu’s chances in 2027, saying, “If it is this 2027 election against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no, forget it. It’s over.”
The minister dismissed criticism from opposition politicians and commentators, saying their media appearances would not erase what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration over the past three years.
Wike said, “I don’t want to reply to political commentaries. I don’t want to reply to people who think that appearing before media houses will give them an edge to win an election that they have lost. No.”
He maintained that the administration’s achievements could not be diminished by political criticism.
He said, “Nobody can diminish what this administration has done in the past three years. Nobody can diminish it. This administration has done very well as far as the Federal Capital Territory is concerned.”
He added, “That does not mean I claim that we have solved all problems, no. Are we solving problems? Yes. Have we solved major problems? Yes. Will we continue to solve problems? Yes.”
The minister also spoke on the government’s response to flooding and illegal structures in the FCT.
He warned officials of the FCT Development Control Department against delaying enforcement operations with bureaucratic excuses, saying the administration had the political will to act against structures obstructing waterways.
Wike said, “And let nobody make a mistake that this government lacks the political will to do anything. The person must be making a very big mistake. If there is one minister that has that political will, I have. I have the political will.”
He directed that houses found on waterways should be demolished, regardless of the status of their owners.
He said, “I’m going to bring those houses down! Any house that’s found on the water channel will go down!”
Wike said the enforcement would not be suspended because of the approaching election.
He added, “Whether there is an election, oh, there’s no election, oh, all those houses will go down. Heaven will not fall; rather, heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done.”
The minister also condemned the conversion of designated green areas in Abuja into commercial parks and other developments.
He said some individuals had attempted to justify such developments by relying on historical claims about land allocations.
Wike said, “Because something that was done wrongly will not be corrected? No, we will not allow that. We won’t.”
He assured residents that desilting and other infrastructure interventions would continue in flood-prone areas, including Lokogoma and the Yakubu Gowon Crescent axis in Asokoro.
He also urged residents to support efforts to address flooding by properly disposing of waste and avoiding activities that could obstruct drainage channels.
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