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My Support For Peterside, Total – Abe …As APC Flays Arrest Of Chieftains
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Rivers South East Senatorial candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC has said that his support for Dr. Dakuku Peterside, governorship candidate of the APC is total.
Abe who insists that Peterside remains the best governorship candidate for this election made the declaration during APC rally Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“In Rivers State, we have made up our mind; our next governor is Dr. Dakuku Peterside. My name is Magnus Ngei Abe and I am supporting Dr. Dakuku Peterside one hundred per cent. That matter is settled and I have my reasons why I am supporting him.
“The first reason is that I know him. With Dr. Peterside, Rivers State is safe; the state will be in safe and competent hands. We have a governor we can talk to and he will listen to us because he is our friend and brother. Therefore, the issue of governorship in Rivers State is settled.
“Then there is also the issue of equity. We cannot have Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as governor for eight years and then another Ikwerre man for another eight years. The name of this state is Rivers State; it belongs to all of us. “Power must move round. If it does not move round, it will not get to other people. We are going to use our votes to move power away from Ikwerre”.
“The third reason is that with Dr Peterside we are sure he will consolidate on the achievements of Gov. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Other persons who are in this race will destroy all we have laboured to build these years because of ego, pride and selfishness”, he added.
Meanwhile, The Greater Together Campaign Organisation has condemned in strong terms the indiscriminate arrest and detention of members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State.
The organisation, which is campaigning for the governorship of Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, noted the resort to undemocratic style in an election period by the Nigeria Police Force, a Federal security agency, that should be non-partisan.
In a statement in Port Harcourt the organizations Director of Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said the arrests and detention, were masterminded by the Peoples Democratic Party, to provoke members of APC into retaliatory actions under which the police would launch a broader clampdown.
“What is happening is part of a ploy not only to intimidate APC members, but to also provoke them into retaliatory measures for which more clampdown will be launched by the already biased police”, the statement released in Port Harcourt read in part.
While it reiterated APC’s commitment to fair and issue-based campaign, the Greater Together Campaign Organisation berated PDP for being shy in selling its programs and manifesto to Rivers people.
“This attitude of PDP stems from the fact that it has nothing other than violence to propagate. We are worried that PDP is synonymous with violence and unfortunately, that it achieves in connivance with the police, a national institution serviced with the taxpayers’ money”, she said.
“The electorate in Rivers State is familiar with the hate sermons often preached by the PDP at its campaigns and rallies. Its style is alien to politics where a political party canvasses for votes by selling its unique product”, she added.
“In all of those, we find the police culpable as having compromised their apolitical role. We are, indeed concerned that rather than strengthen this national institution, PDP has compromised the Force placing it at its beck and call. At several fora, PDP members had threatened the peace of Rivers State, and had indeed, performed violent acts against APC supporters. Surprisingly, such PDP ‘untouchables’ walk the streets as free men. An example in hand is that of a former Chairman of Obio/Akpor local government who recently, accompanied by thugs, attacked an APC assembly inflicting deep machete cuts on members. Both the ex-Chairman and the attackers still walk freely, and may even be planning worse attacks on APC members. We are not aware the police invited them for questioning”, the APC Spokesperson said.
According to her, “In the face of these unpleasant moments in Rivers State, our stand is that the police should revert to their constitutional role of maintenance of law and order in an impartial manner. Their support for PDP aggravates the spate of attacks on APC members and supporters.
We hold this view that would this Force take its stand to serve all, the attacks will seize and ongoing campaigns in the state will be hitch-free”.
The Party urge the Inspector-General of Police to call his officers and men in Rivers State to order as their partisanship is creating worse violent situation which is at variance with democracy.
United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle (middle) addressing key governorship candidates in Rivers State at the signing of non-violence pact in Port Harcourt, yesterday. He is flanked by religious leaders: Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt, Dr Camillus Etokudo (left), Bishop Winston Iwoh of Grace Covenant Ministries (2nd left), state INEC Commissioner, Gesila Khan (2nd right) and Archbishop Ignatius Kattey of Niger Delta Anglican Communion
The Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA) has unveiled measures to enthrone ease of doing business and win back the confidence of the business community.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Chamberlain Peterside, unveiled the plans at the Breakout Session of RSIPA at the ongoing 18th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, at the Obi Wali International Cultural Centre, in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Peterside said the agency was poised to free the state from accumulation of wrong narratives that branded it over the years as unsafe for business.
He, however, admitted that many things had gone wrong in the past where regulators joined to make the business environment difficult for investors.
He announced that the agency was rather focused on actions, solutions, and results as adopted in the mission statement of the Board.
“Our task is no mean feat. We are dealing with the perception risk that over several years branded the state as unsafe. We are also faced with the challenges of dealing with the lack of cohesion amongst MDAs, policy inconsistencies, multiple taxation, incessant harassment by miscreants, red tape and delays in obtaining operating permits, high cost of operations and opaque public sector,” he said.
“It is about listening to the investors in the field and ensuring that MDAs are carried along, hence the imperative for the setting up of our One-Stop-Center”, he added.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, who represented the state governor, said the Fubara administration was ready to listen to the business community to see ways of reducing impediments to investments.
He listed the stages of actions being undertaken by the governor as outlined in his 37-page blue print to revive the economy of Rivers State.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, who was presented at the event as a star investor and promoter of Rivers State reputation, said for the plans of the investment promotion agency to materialize, an enabling law should replace the Executive Order that established the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency.
He said this would insulate the agency from political instability and remove fear in the minds of investors about its sustainability.
According to him, protection precedes promotion and Local Direct Investment (LDIs) is what attracts and promotes Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs).
“It is the rat at home that reveals to the one in the bush that there is fish in the kitchen”, he added.
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?The Mayor of Housing who is also the CEO of the Alesa Highlands Sustainable Green Smart City said that Port Harcourt is like a business empire under lock and key because it is not protecting its own and also not promoting its own enough for investors to come in.
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?In the area of land documentation and inventory, China urged Rivers State Government to borrow a leaf from Abuja and adopt the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in dealing with land and property registration and documentation for ease of doing business.
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?He said Lagos understood the power of business information, adding “this creates the impression that if you are not doing it in Lagos, you are not doing it in Africa.
“We need to shout louder than Lagos, because we need more investments than Lagos and the structural integrity of Abuja. When you marry both, Rivers State would be wonderful and become green with investments,” he said.
In her speech, the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr. Chinyere Nwoga, called on the state government to look into the menace of parked trucks now turning Trans-Amadi into a risk zone.
She outlined the activities of the PHCCIMA and invited investors and businesses to the Port Harcourt economic hub, saying peace has returned.
The Director, Investors Relations of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mrs Lovina Kayode, urged Rivers State to make haste and catch up on Ease of Doing Business, saying the Council has come to help businesses in the state.
Mrs Kayode, who represented the Executive Secretary/CEO of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, commended the Mayor of Housing and his counterpart, Mr. Oliver Biedima of Rainbow Heritage Group, for their decision to invest in Rivers State, saying it is a proof that Rivers State is safe for investors and their investments.
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In his remarks, Oliver Biedemi of Rainbow Heritage Group urged government to give the private investors chance to develop the economy, saying ordinarily government does not have the funds to develop the economy.
Happy Birthday Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON
Honourable Minister Federal Capital Territory
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We’ll Drive Tinubu’s Vision in Rivers With Vigour – Fubara …Inaugurates Dualized Ahoada/Omoku Road ….Debunks Rift With RSHA
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he will lead Rivers people to galvanize support for President Bola Tinubu to drive the vision and objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the State with vigour.
The governor, who joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, explained that his decision to join the APC was not for personal interest but for the overall benefit of Rivers State.
Fubara disclosed these while inaugurating the extension of the dualized Ahoada/ Omoku Express road in Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
He commended the contracting firm, Julius Berger, for timely delivery of the project, saying the project is a campaign promise fulfilled which will bring economic benefits to the people and tackle issues of insecurity associated with the route.
He said his administration has remained focused in delivering democratic dividends in the state despite facing glaring challenges.
The governor thanked the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas for their continuous support, and urged his supporters to remain steadfast and also support President Tinubu who he said, has demonstrated love to Rivers State as a father.
Fubara denied having rift with the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that his meeting with the lawmakers was stalled as a result of delay in the agreed meeting to be convened by former Governor Nyesom Wike and other stakeholders for him to meet with the state lawmakers.
“I have made every effort to meet with the Assembly members, but it is not within my leadership to initiate the meeting process.
“The arrangement was for my leader, Wike, and the elders led by Anabraba to call for a meeting with the the lawmakers.
“I’m a gentleman and principled. I can’t go behind to call them when we’ve already agreed. Whoever that tell them that I don’t want to meet with them, or I rejected proposal meant for them isn’t saying the truth,” Fubara said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry Works, Mr Austin Ezekiel-Hart, who gave the project description, said the delivery of the project was a fulfillment of long time dream by the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.
He said the road was previously a single lane and has now been dualised to 14.6 meters wide, complete with solar-powered streetlights with drainages.
He said the road significantly would reduce travel time between Ahoada and Omoku while improving economic activity in the region.
In his welcome address, Chairman of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Chuku Shedrack Ogbogu, described the road as a symbol of unity, oneness, and development, thanking the governor for fulfilling his campaign promises.
On his part, the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Engr. Peer Lusbash, said the project was awarded to his company in 2023 with a completion period of 18 months which was achieved in best quality.
He added that Julius Berger enjoyed a good support from the Fubara administration, and assured to complete all ongoing projects being handled by Julius Berger on specification, especially the Ring Road project which is a legacy project.
