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RSG Earmarks 300 Houses For Public Servants
The promise made by the Rivers State Government to set aside 300 housing units at the RIVTAFF Golf Estate in Port Harcourt for public servants in the State is now a reality.
This indication was given yesterday by the Head of Service, Barr Samuel LongJohn at a meeting he held with representatives of state-owned tertiary institutions, the Nigeria Medical Association, the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice and labour unions in his office in Port Harcourt.
The houses, consisting of two and three bedroom semi-detached flats, are located along Okuru-Ama by Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt.
The Head of Service disclosed that a limited number of flats had been made available for public servants at the cost of N14million for a two bedroom flat and N21.85million for a three bedroom flat, stressing that those wishing to purchase any of the houses were expected to indicate their interest on or before the first week of January, 2014.
“According to the developer, the cost of the houses had moved up as those interested were expected to indicate their interest within 90 days, saying, “already we have spent 21 days and by this condition, interested persons are to express their interest latest by early January and it will be on a first come first serve basis”, the Head of Service said.
He explained that interested persons were to pay a 30 percent equity contribution while the remaining 70 percent would be accessed through the National Housing Fund Scheme and deductions made from the salaries of beneficiaries, pointing out that in order to enable more public servants purchase the houses, arrangements were on with a mortgage finance institution, Aso Savings and Loans to pay 15 percent of the equity contribution which attracts a single digit interest rate repayable in two years.
The Head of Service explained that the meeting was to enable them sensitise their members in view of the limited timeframe, adding that circulars to that effect would be issued to all MDAs soon.
In their separate remarks, the Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Barr Rufus Godwins, the General Manager of the Rivers State Housing and Property Development Authority, Arch. Iyerefaa Cookeygam, the Chairman of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Ibitrokoemi Korubo and others who spoke, thanked the State Government for giving them the opportunity to move into their own houses before retirement but appealed for a tripartite arrangement to enable public servants meet the conditions.
The RivTaff Golf Estate, comprising 750 housing units, is a Public Private Partnership project between the State Government and TAFF Homes Limited.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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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
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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.