News

World Bank Votes More $575m North-East Aid

Published

10 years ago

June 10, 2016

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved $575 million additional financing in International Development Association (IDA) credit to scale up its support to the North-East of the country.
The information is contained in a statement obtained from World Bank’s website, yesterday, in Abuja.
It stated that the support fund would help to rebuild livelihoods in the region, which is home to 1.8 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
It noted that the Boko Haram insurgency had taken a toll on the six North-East states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe, “and the states cannot meet the most pressing needs of the millions of people affected by the ongoing conflict.’’
The World Bank estimated that some 15 million people had been affected by the crisis.
The bank stated that its Country Director for Nigeria, Rachid Benmessaoud, had said that the needs of the region were staggering.
The bank statement quoted Benmessaoud as saying “millions of people have lost their livelihoods, schools and health facilities have been destroyed and the psychosocial impact of the crisis must also be addressed.
“To help create economic opportunities for the most vulnerable, we have identified a set of initiatives that will have a quick and tangible impact on the population in four priority areas: agriculture, education, health and social protection.’’
The statement indicated that the World Bank support would be in four sectors.
In the social protection sector, $75 million would be for Nigeria’s Community and Social Development Project to provide immediate basic social infrastructure, as well as psychosocial support to communities most affected by displacement.
A financing of $100 million would be for Youth Employment and Social Support Operation to provide youth, women and unemployed, especially IDPs, returnees and persons with disabilities resulting from the crisis, with labour-intensive work and skills development opportunities.
In the agriculture sector, there would be $50 million for the Third Fadama Development Project to address the emergency needs of farmers by improving access to irrigation and drainage services.
In the education sector, $100 million would be allocated to the State Education Programme Investment Project to support the return to teaching and learning through financial incentives for teachers who have completed psycho-social training.
In the health sector, a financing of $125 million and a Global Financing Facility (GFF) trust fund grant of $20 million to the National State Health Investment Project would help to immediately re-establish health services.
This is with focus on maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, psycho-social support and mental health.
In communities where health facilities have been destroyed, mobile clinics will be deployed to provide care, while additional financing of $125 million is for Polio Eradication Support Project to prevent any disruption in routine immunisation.

News

HoS Hails Fubara Over Provision of Accommodation for Permanent Secretaries

Published

13 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Head of Service (HoS) of Rivers State, Dr. Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, has commended Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, for approving befitting accommodation for Permanent Secretaries in the state.

This commendation was contained in a press release made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt.

According to the Head of Service, Governor Fubara has continued to demonstrate uncommon commitment to the welfare of civil servants in Rivers State, stressing that such gestures underscore his people-oriented leadership style. She urged civil servants across the state to remain supportive of the governor’s administration in order to sustain good governance and effective public service delivery.

Speaking on behalf of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Brown congratulated Governor Fubara on the occasion of his 51st birthday, describing him as “a Governor who leads by serving.”

She further praised the governor’s service-driven and people-centred leadership approach, noting that it has significantly contributed to institutional stability and improved efficiency within the state’s public service. Special appreciation was expressed for the approval of a befitting accommodation complex for Permanent Secretaries, which she said reflects the governor’s commitment to staff welfare and enhanced productivity.

As part of activities to mark the governor’s birthday, the Body of Permanent Secretaries announced the sponsorship of 329 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms for indigent students across the state.

A breakdown of the initiative shows that 319 forms will be distributed across the 319 political wards in Rivers State, while five forms are allocated to non-indigenes and five forms to persons living with disabilities.

Interested applicants are advised to contact the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, for further details.

The Body of Permanent Secretaries wished Governor Fubara continued good health, divine wisdom, and greater accomplishments in his service to the people of Rivers State.

By John Bibor

News

Allegation of Disrespect to President Tinubu Unfounded — Rivers Government

Published

14 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), purportedly authored by one Bestman Innocent Amadi, alleging that the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, removed the official portrait of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government wishes to categorically state that there is no policy, directive, or intention on the part of the government or the Governor that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government.

On the contrary, the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, currently enjoys a robust, cordial, and collaborative relationship with the Federal Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Renewed Hope Agenda—a partnership that is already yielding positive and tangible benefits for the people of Rivers State.

Consequently, the insinuation that the Governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” is misleading, irresponsible, inflammatory, and entirely unsupported by verifiable facts, and should therefore be disregarded by the public.

It is regrettable that a body expected to promote youth unity, peace, and responsible engagement would resort to incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated claims capable of overheating the polity at a time when Rivers State requires calm, dialogue, and mature leadership.

The Rivers State Government therefore calls on well-meaning members of the public, particularly its esteemed and hardworking youths, to disregard and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups bent on advancing divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Rivers State belongs to all of us. Political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, peace, and the collective pursuit of progress.

Members of the public are further urged to remain vigilant and avoid lending credence to inflammatory statements or the activities of fifth columnists pursuing dubious agendas aimed at sowing discord.

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News

Rivers Government Dismisses Allegations of Disrespect to President Tinubu

Published

14 hours ago

February 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has dismissed as unfounded and misleading allegations that Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara removed the official portrait of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the Government House in Port Harcourt.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government reacted to claims credited to an acclaimed Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), describing the allegation as false, irresponsible, and unsupported by any verifiable facts.

The government clarified that it has no policy, directive, or intention that disrespects the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or undermines the authority of the Federal Government. It emphasized that Governor Fubara maintains a cordial, respectful, and collaborative relationship with President Tinubu and the Federal Government.

According to the statement, the relationship between Rivers State and the Federal Government has grown stronger under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with tangible benefits and positive impacts already being felt by residents of the state.

The Rivers State Government described insinuations that the governor acted out of “ingratitude” or “disrespect” as deliberately provocative, noting that such claims are capable of misleading the public and unnecessarily heating up the polity.

It further expressed concern that an organization expected to promote youth unity and peace would engage in what it termed incendiary language, personal attacks, and unsubstantiated accusations at a time when the state requires calm, dialogue, and responsible leadership.

The government called on well-meaning members of the public, especially the youths of Rivers State, to disregard the claims and dissociate themselves from individuals or groups spreading divisive rhetoric and falsehoods for political purposes.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace, unity, and progress, the state government stressed that political differences must never be allowed to override truth, civility, and the collective interest of the people.

Members of the public were also urged to remain vigilant and not give attention to inflammatory statements or individuals described as fifth columnists bent on causing division within the state.