News
Rivers NCSU Gets Caretaker Committee …Embattled Chairman Rejects Purported Removal
Following the purported dissolution of the Comrade Lilly-West-led Executive Council of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Rivers State chapter, the body now has a new caretaker committee headed by one Comrade Lucky Delee.
The development was a fallout of an emergency meeting convened by the National Executive Council of NCSU in Port Harcourt earlier in the week.
The National Execo led by Comrade Kiri Mohammed had alleged that the dissolution came as a result of a report that indicted the Lilly-West led executive.
Mohammed said with the inauguration of the caretaker committee, elections into the union exco would be conducted in a few months time.
The NCSU President disclosed that the action committee which investigated allegations against Lilly-West-led exco fingered the dissolved body for being responsible for the crisis that had rocked the union in the past six months.
He ruled out sentiments as part of the reason to dissolve the exco, while urging members to support the new caretaker body as part of efforts to reposition the union.
Advising the caretaker members to display high moral and official standards, Comrade Mohammed urged them to use everything at their disposal to reposition the body in Rivers State, noting that NCSU in the state was one of the most vibrant in the country.
Responding on behalf of the committee members, Comrade Delee assured the union members and the national exco of a free and fair election in the next three months.
Comrade Delee solicited the support and cooperation of members to the body in order to achieve its mandate within the specified time.
Other members of the committee include Comrade Amah Confidence, Vice Chairman, Josiah Osaroluka, Treasurer and Felicia Giadom who is billed to function as the Auditor.
Meanwhile, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Comrade Opuoyibo Lilly-West, has rejected his purported removal from office, describing it as baseless, unfounded and illegal.
According to him, he was still the elected chairman of the union in the state since laid down procedures as provided by the union’s constitution were not adhered to.
Comrade Lilly-West who reacted in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt explained that it was only the State Executive Committee of the union that reserves the right and powers to remove him from office as an elected chairman of the union.
Further buttressing his points, he said the panel constituted by the national secretariat of the union to investigate allegations of wrongdoing levelled against him had merely submitted its report on which the national headquarters led by the National President, Comrade Kiri Mohammed acted without recourse to the State Executive Committee of the union, as provided by the constitution.
He said he was not also officially communicated of any wrongdoing before his purported removal from office and suspension, stressing that the action of the national officers amounted to gross breach of procedures.
While exonerating himself from any wrongdoing that resulted to his purported removal from office, Lilly-West appealed to members of the union in the state to remain calm, civil and law-abiding as justice would be done over the matter.
It would be recalled that Lilly-West has been having a running battle with the National Deputy President of the union, Comrade Menele Nzidee.
Enoch Epelle/Donatus Ebi
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.
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