News
RSHA Faults CAN Allegation
The Rivers State House of Assembly has denied allegations of non execution of constituency projects leveled against the immediate past legislature by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Reacting to the allegations which called for the arrest and prosecution of the former speaker, Hon Tonye Harry by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Leader of the Assembly, Hon Chidi Lloyd described it as “vexation, criminal and a calculated attempt to incite the constituents against members of the Assembly.
Hon Lloyd who represents Emohua constituency made clarifications on constituency projects execution in an exclusive interview The Tide in his office, stating that members only nominated projects and ensured that they were captured in the budget.
He said members of the Assembly were not contractors, but were saddled with the major legislative duties of, appropriation , oversight and lawmaking.
Hon Lloyd who gave the 6th Assembly a clean bill of health over the allegation, further explained that constituency projects were handled by a special unit in the ministry of works, while the members only supervised the execution.
He also called for a sense of responsibility in the adherence to the freedom of information law, which he said, the Publicity Secretary of ACN, Mr Jerry Needam was using as a guise to mislead the people.
Meanwhile, as the Rivers State House of Assembly settles for new parliamentary session, prominent stakeholders have called on the lawmakers to make laws that would bring peace, good governance and speedy development of the state.
Speaking to The Tide in an interview, yesterday, a Senior Advocate of Nigerian of Nigeria and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, O.C.J Okocha said, ‘ it is my expectation that Rivers State House of Assembly will continue to perform its constitutional role and function, which is to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Rivers State”.
He noted that of great significance is the matter of the appropriation of funds to all arms of government particularly the judiciary, saying, “ it will go a long way in securing the administration of justice, maintenance and enforcement of law and order”.
The former NBA boss also urged the state Assembly to take very seriously the performance of its oversight functions and ensure that it duly carried out this responsibility.
Corroborating Okocha’s views, the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Barr Ledum Mitte said the people expect the State House of Assembly members to rise to the occasion to carry out their constitutional duties to the betterment of the ordinary people.
He added that the people would expect the Assembly to make more pro-poor legislations and should rise to their oversight functions over all the arms of government.
Zeroing on the Ogonis, Mittee urged the representatives of the Ogonis in the House of Assembly to have a regular consultation with the people so that it becomes a two-way mechanisms where government polices are explained to the people and the people’s thinking are understood and taken back to government.
His words, “We will not want to see our representatives become part of what the Ogonis see as oppression on their part. For instance the rumour that Military Barracks was coming to Ogoni. This is what we expect our representatives to express their views on”.
Taneh Beemene
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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