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RVHA Backs Down On Move To Sanction Commissioners …Sets Up Committee To Wind Down 7th Assembly
The Rivers State House of Assembly, for the second time, barked but could not bike after four persons subpoenaed by the legislators could not show up at the seating last Monday.
The House, in its seating penultimate Tuesday, had threatened to issue warrant of arrest to government officials who refused to honour the House’s invitation, but surprisingly, the legislators could not act as they threatened after five out of the nine they invited could not show up last Monday.
Four commissioners, Hon Augustine Wokocha, Emmanuel Chinda, Victor Tambari Giadom and Mrs Ibim Semenitari and the Chairperson of the state Internal Revenue Service, Mrs Obele Ochoko Osila responded to the invitation.
But the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Chamberlain Peterside, Health, Sampson T.Parker, Transport, Hon George Tolofari, the Accountant General, and the chairman, Assembly Service Commission,Omubo Pricewill could not make it to the House, seating on Monday.
Earlier, the Leader of the House, Hon Chidi Julius Lloyd had informed the House that the Accountant General, the Commissioner for Finance and Health Commissioner, sent words to the leadership that they were in Abuja attending state assignments.
Hon Lloyd also regretted that those invited had last week submitted their briefs but were unable to make them available to members due to their crowded engagements.
The commissioners were, however, requested to give highlights of how they spent funds allocated to their various ministries.
Addressing the House, the Commissioner for Power, Hon Augustine Wokocha said the ministry was on a mission to stabilize power supply in the state, stating that the power sector in the state has been positioned.
He noted that the ministry was able to build more sub stations and power lines in the state.
According to him, ‘’ we delivered Afam power station and built three transmission stations at Afam, Rumuosi and Elelenwo’’, to service those areas.
He disclosed that N70 billion was earmarked for the project but the ministry received only 30billion.
‘’ Eight sub stations were built and 200 transformers were installed in different parts of the state capital’’, he said.
The Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service, Mrs Obele Ochoko Osila, in her submission, said the commission was able to create foundation and built system that will continue to generate revenue for the state.
She noted that people now pay taxes due to the power given to the service, as she commended the legislators for granting the service autonomy.
The Commissioner for Works, Hon Victor Giadom, explained that the ministry constructed 306 roads between 2011 and now.
He said out of the 306, the ministry was able to complete 118 roads while the rest are at different stages of completion.
According to him, ‘’ The ministry was able to complete 22 dual carriage roads which have helped ease off traffic in the city of Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner of Agriculture, Emmanuel Chinda, informed the House that the ministry’s mandate was to ensure food production and security in the state.
While explaining reasons some persons from Khana Local Government Area were yet to get their agricultural loan, Chinda said the ministry has egibility criteria to access the loans.
According to him, “They have loans and grants given to the people within the past years”.
In her submission, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari said that her ministry was a service ministry and not project-driven, , explaining that the ministry had to collaborate with the Nigeria Union of Journalists to build a Press Centre for the Union.
She noted that the Press Centre would also House a Resource Centre, adding that the ministry was able to purchase modern Rotary Machine for the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Publishers of The Tide Newspapers, procured Outstation Van for Radio Rivers, but could not carry out similar project for Rivers State Television due to lack of funds.
Meanwhile, the Assembly has set up a committee to wind down the 7th Assembly, preparatory to the official handover to the 8th Assembly on the 29th May.
The Speaker, who announced the committee, noted that the idea was to ensure smooth and peaceful transition as required by law.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon Leyii Kwanee, who presided over the seating on Monday announced Okechukwu Akara as the chairman of the valedictory session, Hon Onari Brown will head the strategy committee while Hon Golden Chioma will serve as the chairman of winding down committee.
Kwanee also announced the Deputy Leader, Hon Ewor Nname Robson as the chairman who will coordinate all the committees to ensure that everything was in placed.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.