By IduwiniVoice News Service / July 22, 2025/ Asaba, Delta State

In a major infrastructural breakthrough for the riverine Communities of Gbaramatu kingdom, the Delta State Executive Council, under the leadership of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has approved the construction of internal roads in lkantu and Zou-Alagha-two Communities in warri South-West Local Government Area.

The approval, announcement late Tuesday by Governor Oborevwori following the weekly EXCO meeting held at Government House, Asaba, marks a significant reward for the two Communities, which had recently reaffirmed their ancestral identity as part of the larger Gbaramatu ljaw nation.

The move is seen as both a political and developmental milestone, coming after the communities’bold declaration of their ethnic and cultural allegiance to the Gbaramatu kingdom. The declaration is believed to have paved the way for increased attention from the state government, which had previously been accused of neglecting remote riverine settlements.

This is a dream come true for our people,” said a jubilant youth leader from lkantu. “We’ve waited years for this kind of attention. Now that we’ve openly declared who we are-true Gbaramatu ljaws-the government has responded with a project that will change our lives.”

The construction of internal roads in lkantu and Zou-Alagha is among several key infrastructural projects approved by the Council in what is being described as Governor Oborevwori’smost ambitious development rollout yet. Other major projects approved including:

* Design and construction of a flyover bridge at Uromi Junction in Agbor, lka South LGA

* Flyover construction across Ughelli/Patani (East- West) Highway at Otovwodo Junction, Ughelli

Others include;

– Construction of Kolokolo/Tisun Road, Warri North Local Government Area

– Rehabilitation of Bomadi/Gbaregolor Road, Bomadi Local Government Area

– Completion of the construction of Bulu-Angiama Road, off Ughelli/Patani

– Completion of the construction of Ituru Road, Elume, Sapele Local Government Area

– Completion of the construction of Unoghovo Community Road from Benin Expressway to Ovade in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area

– Construction of internal roads in the College of Education, Mosogar (Phase I), Ethiope West Local Government Area

– Construction of internal roads in Jjaghala, Warri South-West Local Government Area

– Reconstruction and asphalt overlay of Emu-Obodeti-Abbi-Abraka Road (from Emu-Obodeti Junction to Abraka), Ndokwa West Local Government Area

– Construction of internal roads in Kantu, Warri South-West Local Government Area

– Construction of access roads leading to Model Technical College, Obiaruku, in Ukwuani Local Government Area (Phase II)

– Construction of flood control measures from Orikeze Avenue Junction through Obi, Enumah, and Uromi Roads to Orogodo River, Ika South Local Government Area

– Completion of the construction of Olikili Layout Roads (Mike Arinze Street, Ezeweani Way, Tony Bakasi Street, Trust in God Lane, Emeka Obiokolo Street with spur to two closes, off Ibusa Road), Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area

– Reconstruction of Dual Carriageway Warri – Sapele Road (from the end of the U-turn at Spare Parts Market, Effurun, to after Ohore Junction, before Omenta Bridge) in Uvwie and Okpe Local Government Areas

– Construction of Oko-Amakom/Oko-Obiokpu/Oko-Anala/Oko-Ogbele Road (Phase II), Oshimili South Local Government Area

– Construction of Okowa Crescent, off Ughelli/Patani Expressway, Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area

– Construction of flood control measures on Summit Road through Nwelih Street, St. Patrick’s College, West End Mixed Secondary School, Uche Medua Igeh Close, Amilimocha Stream, Oshimili South Local Government Area.

According to the Governor, the projects are part of his administration’s “MORE Agenda” to deliver Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security.

“We give God praise for this successful EXCO meeting toady,” Governor Oborevwori stated. “This government is committed doing MORE for All Deltans, especially those in undeserved communities.”

The recognition and inclusion of Ikatu and Zou-alagha (Jjaghala) in the state’s development plan is also being seen as a victory for traditional leaders and stakeholders in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, who have consistently pushed for the equitable distribution of government infrastructure across their communities.

It will be recalled that, Ikantu and Zou-alagha (Ijaghala) communities laid to to rest and age-long dispute on whether they were Itsekiri or Ijaw communities, by declaring in separate World Press Confidences that, they were Ijaw communities from the Gbaramatu Kingdom. These claims were backed by historical facts linking them to the Gbaramatu people rather than the Itsekiris who have sustained their own claims of these communities being part of the Itsekiri kingdom.

Community and kingdom elders and leaders have described the road projects as “a long-awaited token of justice” adding that the communities eventual declaration of their true identity may have ushered in ancestral blessings as prayed for during the press conferences. They further called on the government to ensure timely execution and local content participation.

With contractors expected to mobilize in the coming weeks or months the people of Ikantu and Zou-alagha are preparing to welcome a new era of mobility, commerce, and inclusion-a long strides from the days of abandonment, and a strong signal that truth, identity, and unity still matter in the politics of development.

By Favour Bibaikefie

A terrible maritime disasters unfolded earlier today, Sunday, July 20, 2025, when the KM Barcelona VA, a passenger ferry travelling across the North Sulawesi coast of Indonesia, caught fire at sea, forcing over 280 passengers and crew to leap into the open waters near Talise Island in a desperate bid to survive.

The fire reportedly broke out in the late morning hours, around 11:00 a.m. local time, as the ferry sailed en route from the Port of Talaud Islands to Manado, passing close to Talise Islan, a small community located in the Sangihe Islands region of North Sulawesi Province.

Though the exact cause of the fire is still under official investigation by Indonesian maritime authorities, eyewitness accounts suggest the fire originated from the engine room and quickly spread through the upper decks of the vessel, engulfing parts of the ship in thick, black smoke. No explodes were heard, but flames moved swiftly, overwhelming the onboard fire safety systems.

See attached video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1WNyUhC27E/

Several passengers reported hearing alarms and seeing smoke rise from below deck shortly before the crew instructed them to wear life jackets and abandon ship.

The KM Barcelona VA is a traditional Indonesian wooden-hull passenger vessel designed to carry passengers and light cargo across island routes. The ship was licensed to carry 300 passengers, and according to the Manado Ports Authority, there were 284 people on board, including passengers, crew, and local traders.

Built to operate in the calm coastal waters of the archipelago, KM Barcelona VA was a key transport link for many remote island communities.

Immediately after the distress calls were received, a coordinated rescue operation was launched by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian Navy, and local fishing vessels. Within hours, rescue boats from KM Barcelona III, KM Cantika Lestari 9F, and KM Venecian reached the scene.

Out of the 284 persons on board, 278 were successfully rescued from the sea, some clinging to life jackets, barrels, or wreckage. Survivors were taken to Bitung and Manado ports, where emergency medical teams were stationed.

Despite the swift response, at least five fatalities were confirmed as of Sunday night. Among the dead were two women, including a pregnant woman, and a child, according to the Indonesian Red Cross. Their identities were being withheld pending family notification.

Some survivors suffered from hypothermia, shock, and minor injuries. All were being treated at hospitals in Manado.

A spokesperson for Basarnas, Abdul Malik, confirmed:

“We have received 278 people so far. Unfortunately, five people were found deceased. Search operations will continue to ensure no one is left behind.”

The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has suspended operations of similar ferry liners pending safety audits and has vowed to carry out a full investigation.

Footages taken by survivors went viral on social media, showing panicked passengers jumping overboard as fire and smoke engulfed the rear deck. In one emotional clip, a young father was seen clutching his child while swimming to safety, guided by the lights os a vessel.

One survivor, Abdul Rahmad Agu, livestreamed his escape:

“We had no chance but to jump. The smoke was thick, and people were crying and screaming. Thank God the rescue team arrived quickly.”

Maritime analysts point to long-standing concerns about safety compliance and aging vessels in Indonesia’s inter-island transport system. Ferry disasters remain common due to overloading, poor maintenance, and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In 2018, more than 160 people died when ferry sank in Lake Toba. While recent reforms have improved oversight, many vessels, especially wooden-hull ferries like KM Barcelona VA, remain vulnerable to and structural failure.

The Indonesian government has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all operating ferries in the region and has promised support for the families of the deceased.

As the nation mourns the lives lost in this latest maritime tragedy, survivors, families, and citizens across Indonesia are once again calling for urgent reforms to protect those who rely on the seas for their livelihood and connection to the rest of the country.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

Stay with IduwiniVoice for further updates as investigations unfold.

Tension are rising in Niger Delta as more twists and turns continue to plague the delineation of Warri Federal Constituency.  In a recent turn of events, a pro-Ijaw group has condemned the award of Pipeline Repair/Surveillance Contracts to the Olu of Itsekiri in Ijaw Communities.

Prominent Ijaw group under the auspices of Ijaw People’s Development Initiative has called on the federal government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to terminate pipeline repair contracts of SECTIONAL REPLACEMENT OF 14.4KM WEAK SECTIONS OF TRANS-FORCADOS

PIPELINE OPERATIONS which was awarded to the PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE NIGERIA LIMITED, owned by Olu of Itsekiri, in Ijaw communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in immediate effect.

According to the group, Olu of Itsekiri and its kinsmen who were calling to ostracize Tantita Security services Nigeria limited operations in Itsekiri communities doesn’t deserve to carry out pipeline repair contracts in the Ijaw communities such as Odidi, Batan, Ekeremor, Kantu and others.

This was contained in a statement signed by the group’s national president Comrade Ozobo Austin in which a copy of it was sent to newsmen on Monday.

The group urged the host communities involved in the Olu pipeline repair in Trans-Forcados pipeline to reject and throw Olu of Itsekiri company PINL out from their communities.

IPDI warned that Olu PINL firms should be restricted to Itsekiris areas, and that the Olu repair contract in Ijaw Communities should be revoked and re-awarded to the Ijaw pipeline companies.

They called on the Managing Director of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari for the interest of peace in Niger Delta should terminate the PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE NIGERIA LIMITED pipeline repair contracts in Ijaw communities in immediate effect.

IPDI cautioned that Ijaw youth might take action to stop the repair operations in the Trans-Forcados pipeline if the federal government and NNPCL refused to implement their demands.