News

Inaugurate CDB, Degema Communities Urge SPDC

Published

10 years ago

June 26, 2009

The 15 Communities which constitute the Degema Cluster 2 in Kalabari area have appealed to the Rivers State Government to prevail on the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to inaugurate their Community Development Board (CDB).
The cluster 2 communities which presented their request to the committee on Community and Chieftaincy Affairs of the State House of Assembly, Wednesday, noted that their move became necessary because their earlier petition did not receive the needed attention as the SPDC failed to turn up for discussion when invited.
One of the spokesmen of the cluster 2 communities, Chief Fred Fiyasiri told newsmen that their main concern was for SPDC to inaugurate the CDB officials, define their terms and benefits for all the affected communities, just as they did for Degema Cluste 1 and 3 communities.
Also speaking, Chief Akaodu Harrison, representing the to give communities within the zone a sense of belonging like their counterparts in Cluster 1 and 3.
According to him, SPDC had refused to inaugurate cluster 2 CDB because of zero production from that area.
He, however, said the CDB should be inaugurated to engage the youths and deter them from vandising SPDC facilities.
Also speaking Barrister Nnenna Omubo Pepple argued that cluster 2 was among the clusters approved by SPDC abinitio, lamenting that SPDC later decided to identify with far communities while neglecting others.
In their presentation, representation of the youth wing Messres Ipalibo Braide, George Ayanate and Mpake Amachree also urged SPDC to inaugurate the cluster 2 CDB. They regretted that since May 2006, the SPDC had been evading cluster 2 communities thus forcing then to cry out to government for justice and fair play.
Responding, Chairman, committee on Community and Chieftaincy Affairs in the House, Hon. Ibinabo Micheal West thanked the cluster 2 communities for handling the matter in a civilised manner, devoid of violence or vandalisaion of SPDC facilities.
He also noted that SPDC shunned their invitation, adding that the committee would take steps that could lead to the arrest of some SPDC staff like the Public Relation Officer, Manager of Area C, Head of Security, the Community Department Co-ordicator and the Head Co-ordinator of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) Board.
Hon. Micheal West who represents Asalga II then assured on resolution of the matter as soon as possible, and urged the affected comities to maintain the peace because government will not disappoint them.
The communities comprising cluster 2 are Bukuma, Zion City, Christ Liberty, daily Bread, Atuka-Ama, Bekin Kiri and Akidi-Ama. Other are Ekirebio, Harrison-Ama, Angula-Ama, Horsefall-Ama, Ekire-Ama, Ogazi-Ama, Omekoretari-Ama and Kala Ekwe.

News

Wike Gives Taskforce Marching Orders On Street Trading, Illegal Markets

Published

1 day ago

The Tide

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has inaugurated the state’s Task Force on Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks, with a charge to the task force to sanitise the streets and return Port Harcourt to its Garden City status.
Inaugurating the committee, last Wednesday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike said that the task force was a product of law, following his assent to the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets & Motor Parks (Prohibition) Bill No. 8 of 2019.
The governor, who had earlier in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, appointed with immediate effect, Mr Bright Amaewhule, as the Special Assistant to the Governor and Coordinator, Task Force on Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks, said that all the operatives of the task force have been profiled by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, while those found wanting have been flushed out.
Wike insisted that henceforth, every appointment that he would make, must pass through security checks, adding that this would enable him have thorough knowledge of the security profile of whoever he would be giving appointment.
He said: “Every appointment I will make now must pass through security. I want to know who is who”.
Wike explained that the reason government sent the task force members to the State Security Services and the police for screening was for proper identification and to ensure that government did not take people who will put it in trouble, and assured that more appointments would be made into the task force to replace those screened out by the security agencies.
He said: “All of us love the state and we must love it fully. Not in half measures. When we build roads, before you know what is happening, the roads are taken over by street traders and illegal motor parks.
“The task force has the responsibility of cleaning up the streets. Ensure that nobody trades on roads. You must wear your vests and identity cards during your work period”, he emphasised.
He said that mobile courts have been established on a zonal basis, and directed the task force operatives to take arrested street traders, mechanics and illegal motor park operators to the mobile courts were offenders would be tried, jailed or fined.
The work of the members is to arrest offenders and take them before the mobile courts in each zones.

News

CACOL Faults EFCC’s Raid On Ambode’s Residence

Published

1 day ago

The Tide

The Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, has faulted the action of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in allowing themselves be used by some perceived political enemies to raid the country home of former Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode in Epe area of Lagos.
Adeniran spoke, yesterday, during an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show, where he picked holes in the selective method of the investigation by the anti-corruption agency.
It would be recalled that, last Tuesday, EFCC raided the residence of Ambode in Ikoyi and Epe over allegations of corruption, but could not find anything incriminating.
But Adeniran said, “That account we were told is the account of the Lagos State Government. It is not a functional account for the former governor or anybody in that government, and that is because it has to be operated. Nobody is above the law actually, and we are not saying that if any corruption issues are developed against the former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, that he should not be investigated or brought to justice.
“The reason why we have to believe that you have to connect with it is that, that is the only corruption allegation that has been levelled against the former governor. And we don’t have anything against that, if on reasonable ground that have reasons to believe that maybe the cash is starched in that house just like that found in Osborne’s house, Falomo, Ikoyi or shopping complex. They could raid the place and they can break it down if they refuse to open the place. But then, you have to have reasonable reasons to do that too zealous to protect one of their own, that might be the reason.