Rivers

Mrs Amaechi Unfolds Govt’s Plan For Families

Published

13 years ago

April 20, 2011

As the Tuesday Governorship election draws near, wife of Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi says that Governor Amaechi administration is determined to explore several opportunities to tackle poverty in the families and enhance the wellbeing of Rivers people.

Dame Judith Amaechi stated this during her interactive session with Ikwerre Women at Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State.

She said all effort by the government to develop the economy is targeted at improving the wellbeing of the people and tackling unemployment and poverty within families.

The governor’s wife said her husband has a strong passion to assist the needy irrespective of his current occupation and added that the various reforms in the state are geared towards sustainable growth and development of the rural economy.

“My husband, your son has a heart of God, he is so pained with the level of poverty in families and he is passionate to alleviate suffering of the people”.

Mrs Amaechi described her husband as dependable, asserting that the lives and security of the people is of great importance to him.

“The governor has not ignited crisis in his home town and any other place like some other politicians who buy guns and empowered the youth to destroyed themselves and the community. That is not Governor Amaechi’s thought for his people, his thought is that you will prosper and iive in peace among yourselves”.

The Rivers First Lady who addresses over five thousand women at Elele charged them to vote for her husband, who is the PDP governorship candidate and other House of Assembly candidates of PDP in next Tuesday’s election.

According to her, “I am here to remind you that your son is seeking re-election and to implore you to pray for him and vote him to consolidate on what he has started.

Mrs Amaechi, who reeled out the achievement of this administration, disclosed that she has begun building of three nursery schools for Kindergarten education in the area.

Also speaking, wives of members elect of the National Assembly, Mrs Boma Nwuke and Mrs Asita Honourable charged the women to vote for Governor Amaechi to enable him continue with his women driven programme. •

Earlier in his speech, Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Hon Kerian Wobodo charged the women to demonstrate their love for Governor Amaechi and his wife through the ballot box.

The women representatives in each of the communities including Mrs Chidi Wiyioka took turn to express their willingness to vote Governor Amaechi in the next election and added that cases of voided votes will be minimise in the next election.

The climax of the event was the praise and worship session intended to usher in sustainable peace in Ikwerreland.

and electoral victory for Governor Amaechi and other candidates in the Tuesday’s election.

Rivers

FG inaugurates PH-Aba Rail Project … As Train Service Begins

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

The Federal Government has inaugurated the 6.2 kilometre (KM) Port Harcourt-Aba railway project, marking the start of train operations between Abia and Rivers States.

The Minister of Transportation, Sen. Saidu Alkali, who said this at a ceremony in Port Harcourt, noted that the project was a crucial part of the 1,443km Port Harcourt to Maiduguri narrow gauge rail project.

He said the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the project was the initial part of the Eastern narrow-gauge railway, aiming to connect five geo-political zones of the country.

“The Federal Government is pleased to inaugurate the train service from Port Harcourt to Aba, a key priority area of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“We are grateful to God for the completion of the Port Harcourt to Aba section, which will bring succour to the people.

“The Eastern narrow gauge covers five geo-political zones of the country, including South-South, South-East, North-Central, North- West and North-East”, he said.

Alkali said following the completion of the first segment and the start of commercial operations, work on the remaining part of the rail line would begin immediately.

“Shortly, we will take a train ride from Port Harcourt to Aba, which means that from today, passenger train service has commenced.

“We will continue the project from Aba to Enugu and from Port Harcourt to both Onne and Port Harcourt seaports for freight services.

“The ministry is currently in discussion with an investor to convert our locomotive from diesel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to reduce transportation cost further”, he said.

The Minister assured Nigerians that arrangements were being made with security agencies to ensure adequate security along the rail routes.

He also announced free train rides from Port Harcourt to Aba between May 1 to May 4.

“The train will depart from Port Harcourt to Aba at 8 a.m. daily, while it will leave Aba to Port Harcourt at 3 p.m. daily.

“Full commercial operations will resume on May 7, 2024″, he said.

Muhammad Zakari, the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, said the project when completed would boost trade, enhance mobility and connectivity between the Southern and Northern part of the country.

He said the segment of the project was contracted to Messrs China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) on October 16, 2020, with a 36-month completion timeline.

“But due to technical and contractual issues, the project commenced in March 2022, involving the construction of modern stations and procurement of new rolling stock.

“The railway line will also connect the seaports of Onne, Bonny, and Port Harcourt to facilitate evacuation of goods and sundry freight through the Eastern corridor”, he said.

Zakari emphasised that upon completing the Port Harcourt to Aba railway, the Federal Government would push CCECC to expedite the completion of the 181km Aba-Enugu section of the project.

He said he was optimistic that inauguration of the Port Harcourt to Aba rail service would stimulate economic activities between the South-South and South-East zones of the country.

Rivers

Run Higher Education As Private Enterprise – Don

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

A lecturer at The University of Port Harcourt, Professor Chineze Monica Uche, has advocated that higher education be run as a private enterprise in Nigeria.

Uche, who said this at the 187th inaugural lecture of the University, said higher education should be run as an enterprise and be managed with enterprising leadership skills.

The lecture was titled, “Twenty First Century University Administration in Managing Higher Education As An Enterprise”.

According to the university Don, tertiary institutions need to transform their research products to enterprise and not just for library shelves, offices and homes.

She emphasized that the mantra, “publish or perish”, should be changed to “publish, patent and prosper”.

Professor Uche said “institutions have to be entrepreneurial and investment friendly, internationalized, globalized, ICT compliant, quality assurance driven, engaging in collaboration, partnerships and be anchored on effective and efficient leadership that is enterprising and profitable”.

She emphasized that a 21st century higher education should be quality based and technologically driven, noting that in managing higher education as an enterprise, the adminstrator should be an administrator per excellent and efficient manager.

“He’s a bureaucrat, a friend, colleague, politician and visionary transformation leader. If we manage our work well, be it teaching, research, learning, administration, we will prosper and make profit to ourselves, institutions and society at large. If not, we will be at loss and our stay here will be a waste”, she opined.

Professor Chineze Uche, whose husband, Sir igweka Uche, is a renowned entrepreneur, recommended among others, self development among higher education administrators, saying that “money is key to open doors, strategic innovation and alternative funding method should be involved in curriculum development”.

Peculiar Imegi

Rivers

Christ Embassy Lays Foundation For Tuition Free School In Rivers

Published

8 hours ago

May 8, 2024

The Tide

Christ Embassy Church has laid foundation for the construction of a tuition free school for the vulnerable in Rivers State.

The foundation for the school, which will accommodate over five hundred indigent pupils were laid at Atali in the Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the church in the promotion of education in the state.

The State commissioner for Education, Professor Chinedu Mmom, said this at the ground breaking ceremony of the inner city mission school building organised by Christ Embassy at Atali, Obiakpor Local Government Area.

Mmom, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Dr. Austin Ezekiel Hart, said the government will continue to partner with the church in raising children.

While thanking the Inner City Mission of Christ Embassy for the initiative, he said the government and the church will work together to uplift education in the state.

The Commissioner, However, said whatever school built by the church will be regulated by the Government.

Also speaking, the Zonal Pastor of Christ Embassy, Zone 1, Pastor Ameachi Udeaku, thanked the founder of the Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for the vision of bringing education to the doorstep of every Nigerian child.

He said the school, which will be tuition free, will provide quality education to indigent children, not only in Atali Community, but in all other adjoining communities.

According to him, the construction of the school building, which will start immediately, will be completed in the next few months.

In a welcome address, the Director, Inner City Mission for Children Education, Christ Embassy, Pastor Omo Alabi, said the school, which is the 16th globally and the 13th in Nigeria, will cater for the education of indigent children.

Omo Alabi said the school is located in all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

According to her, the Atali project was the third so far in Africa within a month, adding that Malawi and Liberia were beneficiaries of the gesture.

She recommended Pastor Chris for the initiative, which, she said, will improve the education of indigent children not only in Africa, but across the world.

In his speech, the Paramount Ruler of Atali Community, HRH T. Eze . A. O. Ejekwu, commended the church for considering his community for the project.

King Ejeku said the school will not only provide education for vulnerable children in Atali and other Communities, but will boost the economy of the area.