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ONELGA People Back Council Dissolution …Why Others May Go – RVHA

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The dissolution, last Wednesday, of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council by the Rivers State House of Assembly, has received commendation from the people of the local government area.

Speaking to newsmen, yesterday, Mr Nwabueze Stanley and Henry Emelike representing the Concerned Indigenes of ONELGA, described the dissolution of the council as a timely intervention to sustain the corporate existence of the state and the local government.

The organisation frowned at the administrative style of the deposed chairman, Mr Chris Okey Ochije, contending that instead of defending allegations of corruption level against him, he resorted to seeking legal cover and engaging in political bigotry that has put the local government area in a state of insecurity.

“Although there is nothing wrong for somebody to challenge his case in court, but the ex-council boss should have first of all defended the allegation of fraudulent practices leveled against him by the councillors.”

“Ochije should be bold enough to face investigations so that the world would know whether he is innocent or not. Public office holders should know that accountability is expected of them. He should defend himself rather than running to the courts to institute a case against Chief G. U. Ake who has no hand in his travail,” they said.

Thirteen out of the 17 councillors of the council had impeached Mr Ochije on allegation of misappropriation and embezzlement of council fund to the tune of over N2 billion.

Some of the allegations include the purported de-roofing of Okwuzi low cost housing unit valued at N95 million, the construction of Ebocha-Ndoni, Akabuka Roads at the cost of N16 million and N17 million contracts on the grading of Okwuzi-Ugada road at N29 million and N5 million.

The ex-council chairman is also accused of embezzling N24 million and the re-award of contract on over existing structures to the tune of over N15 million without budgetary approval.

When contacted, the ex-chairman, Mr Ochije said the allegations were non-issues and that he was not in the mood to give details on the situation.

Meanwhile, following the dissolution of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council (ONENLGA) for security reasons, on Wednesday, the Rivers State House of Assembly has warned other councils in the state against unbecoming acts in governance that may attract the wrath of the law.

The dissolution of Hon. Chris Ochije-led ONELGA council followed a letter sent to the state House of Assembly by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi requesting for the dissolution of the council.

Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, the leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd stated that the governor’s request to the state legislature to dissolve the ONELGA council was in accordance with section 64(2) of the State Local Government Law, 1999.

According to him, “the law as amended by the House mandates the governor to take necessary steps against any defaulting council in accordance with the law and submit details of such misconduct to the state House of Assembly with a request for approval.

“The state House of Assembly, shall then consider the request, and if approved by two-thirds majority of the members, such council stands dissolved from the date of such approval,” he stated.

The House leader informed the lawmakers that the council chairman and the councillors were at war part and could no longer work together as a team noting that some newspaper reports had it that ONELGA councillors were lodged in an hotel in Port Harcourt for five months.

He therefore urged his colleagues to grant the request of the governor and dissolve the council so as to serve as a deterrent to other councils that disregard the law, adding that the ONELGA chairman and the councillors have all sinned and fallen short of glory.

In their own contributions, Hon Isaac Kamalu (Eleme), Henry Ogiri (Abua/Odual) and Ibim Ikumyi Onaji (Andoni) stated that the primary function of the legislature is to make laws that would promote peace and maintained law and order in the state.

The lawmakers had urged their colleagues to consider the request so as to avoid the extension of insecurity in ONELGA to other local government councils in the state.

However, in his own contribution, Hon Tamunosis Gogo-Jaja argued that as lawmakers, they are co-directors of the state and requested that the details of the report be given to them to enable them make proper debate on the matter.

In his ruling thereafter, the speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry divided the House with 23 lawmakers voting in favour of dissolution of the council.

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Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit 

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.

Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”

During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.

The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.

 

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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers

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The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.

 

This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

 

The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.

 

Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.

 

The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.

 

He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.

 

According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the  financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts  inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.

 

At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.

 

He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.

 

Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.

 

According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.

 

At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.

 

He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.

 

Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.

 

He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.

 

However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.

 

At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.

 

He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.

 

Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.

 

Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.

 

In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.

 

At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.

 

Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.

 

Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.

 

John Bibor

 

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Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis 

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President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.

The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.

“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.

Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.

He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.

President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.

He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.

“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.

Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.

Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.

She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.

Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.

 

 

 

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