News
1,800 Farmers Benefit From ELGI Award
The Excellence in Local Governance Initiative has been described by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Magnus Ngei Abe as a concrete developmental tool in which the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency has used to build the capacity of local government councils and also motivated them to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots. He described the prizes as beneficial to the people which will also create employment and generate revenue at the grassroots.
Mr Abe commended the Gokana Local Government, Abua/Odual and Eleme local government councils for emerging best LGA, first and second runners-up respectively for their outstanding performances in the assessment conducted by fifty independent assessors.
The chairman of the occasion, HRM King Alfred Diete-Spiff who was ably represented by Her Majesty Josephine Diete-Spiff described local government as the foundation for effective development of any society, and she called on all council chairmen to have legacies for which they can be remembered. She reiterated that King Alfred Diete-Spiff was remembered all over the world for the legacy as a Governor of over thirty years ago. The chairman of the occasion appealed to both the Ministry of Local Government Affairs and the Sustainable Development Agency to sustain the initiative.
The Commissioner For Local Government Affairs. Hon. Dr. Tammy Danagogo emphasised that the Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led administration was committed to grass roots development and would not condone any local government chairman who is not development-conscious as was manifested in the removal of three local government chairmen. He also commended the 50 independent assessors led by Professor Johnson A. Ekpere, the Aleruchi Cookey-Gam-Ied Assessment Team and the Ministry Of Local Government Affairs team which confirmed the findings of the independent assessors.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director of RSSDA, Mr. Noble Pepple described the strategic intentions of the initiative as an avenue to motivate the top leadership of the local government councils to deliver sustainable services to the citizens and create competitive atmosphere that will raise the overall quality of leadership in the state. Mr. Pepple enumerated some of the gains of ELGI since inception to include the adoption of e-governance which is the development of local government portals for information dissemination and collaboration in the 23 LGAs of the state.
This, according to the executive director, was the first of its kind in Nigeria. Secondly, the improvement in human capital development and infrastructural development. Thirdly, the effective budget implementation and tracking which the capacity of council staff has been built. Fourthly, the effective role played by the legislative arm in their over sight and legislative functions.
Thus, the impact of the initiative cannot be over-emphasised as the local government councils, their executives and staff are now transparent, accountable, people-oriented and participatory.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
-
Politics5 days ago
Keyamo Inaugurates Ganduje As FAAN Board Chair
-
Rivers5 days ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
Politics5 days ago
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF
-
Opinion5 days ago
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
-
News5 days ago
RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others
-
News5 days ago
2027: I Stand With Southern Presidency -Ortom
-
Politics5 days ago
Lagos LG Polls: Police Restrict Movement, Tightens Security
-
Politics5 days ago
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar