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‘Rivers LGAs Under Military Siege’

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Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George (middle), in a group photograph with members and staff of Treasure FM in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George (middle), in a group photograph with members and staff of Treasure FM in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

Ahead of the re-run National Assembly  and State House of Assembly elections  in designated  Constituencies in Rivers  State, three Local Government Areas  in the state are under politically  motivated vicious attacks which have left in their trail,  tales of deaths, blood, destruction  and open intimidation.
These joint  military/police  invasions have taken place  in  three LGAS  of the state, namely;  Gokana,  Asari-Toru and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni(ONELGA). One recurring  decimal  in these three deadly  invasions is the fact that one Major  Mustapha  features  in all of them. Major Mustapha , a Pro-APC  military officer, was the Rivers  State  APC  star witness during the  hearing  of election petitions  in Abuja.
In Asari-Toru LGA on 6th January,  2016, Major Mustapha  and his team of dare-devil soldiers  and mobile policemen  invaded the residences of the Caretaker Council Chairman, Ambassador  Sobomabo Jackrich, destroying his homes and valuables before killing about five youths. They also abducted  50 youths and women who were taken to Port Harcourt.
The same scenario  played  out  in Bua Yeghe in Gokana LGA where Major Mustapha and his illegal politically  motivated  squad attacked the home of Chief Solomon Ndigbara, a former  Niger Delta agitator.  They burnt  his home, before abducting his wife and 70 other youths. The Major  Mustapha  illegal  squad  also attacked  the home of Chief Ndigbara  in Port Harcourt,  damaging the facility.
On 13th January,  2016, the soldiers  and mobile policemen  were in ONELGA were they unleashed mayhem  on lives and property. The residents of the area are still counting their losses.
It is imperative  to point out that in these three LGAs  where Major Mustapha  and other illegal security  operatives  struck, they were accompanied  by  known APC  political  thugs and militants who acted as identity operatives.  These APC  agents who were embedded in these illegal  operations were kitted with security  uniforms. Despite  these security  costumes, they were identified  by locals.
This level of political  desperation is unknown  to the nation’s democratic  history. No authority had in the past handed security  platforms  to political  thugs and associates to unleash untold-mayhem and deaths on law-abiding  citizens.
But one thing is clear, this resort to intimidation and destruction  will not  improve the lacklustre fortune of Rivers APC.  If anything, it has further depleted the party’s  miserable five percent.  The immediate past governor of Rivers State and leader of Rivers State APC, Mr Chibuike Amaechi  squandered N3trillion that accrued  to the  state under his watch leaving  the  people  impoverished  and angry. That unconscionable act will not be forgotten simply because APC  has authorised Major  Mustapha  to kill innocent  people  .
Those who sent Major Mustapha  must be told that there is no APC  in Rivers State.  The party thrives on falsehood  and mismanagement  of resources.  The Rivers people  are  enjoying  good  governance  and first class  performance  under Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.  They have therefore  committed  themselves  to the PDP.
Every  well meaning  Nigerian is invited  to  take note of this unprecedented violence  being visited on innocent  Rivers people  by the military and the police  under the ungodly  guidance  of the Rivers State APC. The National Human  Rights  Commission is also invited to play its role at this critical  time.  The affected  local  government  areas  have on their  own conducted media  tours of the invaded communities. The civil  society  is in the know of the illegal  invasions  of  the  unarmed  communities.
Rivers State is PDP  with Governor Wike as the people’s ordained  leader with  the  magic wand of delivery being enjoyed  by the state. No amount  of  military/Police intimidation  can promote  APC in the state.

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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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 

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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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