News
Emulate Gowon, Wike Urges The Youth …Harps On Religious Tolerance
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has challenged the Youth of Nigeria to take a cue from the humble and patriotic lifestyle of the former Head of State, Gen. Dr. YakubuGowon and work for the peace and unity of the country.
Governor Wike stated this during a one Day National Prayer Rally in Port Harcourt, tagged Nigeria Prays, South-South Zone, with the theme “When a Nation Travails.”
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, thanked the Chairman and Convener of Nigeria Prays, Dr. Yakubu Gowon for sustaining the vision of a united Nigeria and holding regular prayer sessions for the stability and prosperity of the Nation for 19 year’s running.
He described Nigeria as a nation covenanted to God and expressed optimism that Nigeria would come out stronger as a country from its onerous challenges.
According to the Governor, the hosting of the programme in Port Harcourt, would bring about spiritual rebirth in the State and advised the people not to lose faith in the efficacy of prayer.
“Today you have stepped your feet in Rivers State and I know there will be a spiritual shake up in heaven over our State. Light and liberty will prevail over Rivers State.” He asserted
Chief Wike cited the importance of corporate intercession by Believers during the build up to 2015 General elections when there were negative predictions over Nigeria’s corporate existence.
The State Chief Executive thanked the body of ‘Nigeria Prays’ and the former Head of State for finding Rivers State worthy to host the South-South zonal rally and assured him that Rivers people will continue to pray for him until he fulfills his vision for the country.
Chairman, Nigeria Prays, Gen Dr. Yakubu Gowon said the essence of the programme was to intercede for leaders at all levels of Government, including the stability, unity and end to the incessant terrorist bombing in the North East.
“We should confess our transgressions and forgive one another irrespective of ethnic and religious background. Let us continue in the faith and seek for peace and tranquility.” Gowon declared.
In his sermon, the General Oversea of Glorious Covenant Church, Bishop Samuel Akinola, advised Christians to be steadfast and faithful to attract God’s blessings.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the National Secretary, ‘Nigeria Prays’, Evang. Austin Kemie said the Ministry is a non–denominational and non-partisan prayer network borne out of genuine concern for God’s intervention and transformation of the nation.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Bishop Winston T. Iwo said the present administration is considering changing the annual carnival festivity which was used to showcase masquerades and all kinds of idols in the State and replaced it with Rivers Praise and Choral Night slated to hold on the 19th of December this year at the renamed Gen. Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia Port Harcourt on the December 19, 2015.
He therefore urged Christian Organisations of all denominations and the good people of Rivers State to attend the programme.
The event featured inauguration of Rev. Winston T. Iwo, Special Adviser to the Governor of Rivers State on Religious Affairs and General Oversea of Grace Covenant Church and the presiding Bishop of Glorious Covenant Church, Bishop Samuel Akinola as Patrons of Nigeria Prays, Rivers State Chapter.
High point of the event was symbolic intercession session by representatives of the various ethnic groups, Professional bodies, Leaders at all levels of Government, Security Agencies, Institutions and Children.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that people should be tolerant of each other’s religion.
Governor Wike made the statement yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, while addressing the Regional Eck Spiritual Aide, Mr. Ifeatu John Areh and his entourage who paid him a courtesy visit.
“What is important for us, as a government, is religious tolerance. Your religion should preach about peace, unity and how to live in harmony. This is the essence of religion. Religion is a personal thing. “Governor Wike said.
Governor Wike who was thankful to Eckankar Nigeria for choosing to organize the African conference in Port Harcourt remarked that Rivers state will gain positive publicity because its current image an insecure place will be dispelled.
“It is not easy for a city to host an entire continent. Government will benefit from this event. We are supposed to lobby people to come to our state, but you have decided to come on your own. We are really appreciative of that”, Governor Wike said.
The State Chief Executive also described Eckankar as a religion that preaches discipline among its followers.
Governor Wike who remarked that wastage of public funds is bad and good governance is about making the people happy said that his administration will do everything to attract investors to the state and finish projects that will benefit Rivers people even if they were initiated by previous administrations.
He also said his administration would do everything to partner with groups that would move Rivers state forward.
Speaking earlier, the Regional Eck Spiritual Aide, Head of Eckankar in Nigeria, Mr. Ifeatu John, who lauded Governor Wike’s infrastructural developmental efforts said the African seminar is meant to be informed and teach about Eckankar.
He said that the recent rally of where over 800 eckists marched through the streets of Port Harcourt distributing flyers was an awareness exercise to portray Rivers state and its inhabitants as a peaceful, accommodating and loving people.
Also speaking, Anne Archer Butcher, the ECK African Seminar guest speaker, said the seminar will be centered around her new bestselling book, titled, “INNER GUIDANCE A DIVINE BIRTHRIGHT” which is really about the promoting the teachings of Eckankar.
Anne Butcher emphasized that all religions are important and people who are seeking God should be honored and respected because all human beings are one.
According to her “our responsibility is to reach the divine spirit so that we may become worthy vehicles of love and harmony. I understand this is a mission you hold dear to bring love, harmony, peace and happiness to the people of Rivers state.” She informed Governor Wike.
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.