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Cleric Tasks New CAN Leader On Unity, Reforms …Urges Prayers For Wike

Against the backdrop of the controversies that dogged last week’s election of Rev. Samson Ayokunle of the Nigerian Baptist Convention as the new President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a religious leader in Rivers State, has called for a review of the association’s constitution, pursuit of fiscal viability for CAN and the shielding of the body from hijack by money bags, if the association is to continue to be relevant to society.
The Supreme Head of Christ Healing Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Benjamin A. Obomanu made the call in an exclusive interview with The Tide yesterday in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Fathers’ Day celebration at the All Saints Christ Healing Church of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Parish, the religious leader noted that the rape of CAN constitution has become pervasive both at the state and national levels, saying the trend, if not immediately checked, could lead the body into the “unholy“ grip of moneybags.
Obomanu, who holds the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), noted that, of the five blocs that constitute CAN, three had produced the association’s President.
These, he said included the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN/CPFN), whose candidate, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor’s tenure ended last week.
Obonmanu said that in line with the CAN Constitution which provides for rotation of the presidency among the five blocs, Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) and TEKAN/ECWA were the next blocs in line to produce the next CAN President, but noted that the constitutional provisions were breached in the election of Ayokunle, who hails from CCN.
Noting that money was gradually becoming influential in determining the leadership of the association, Obomanu said if the development was allowed to continue, it would adversely affect the unity of CAN.
He, therefore, called on Ayokunle to speedily move to mend the crack, in the CAN arising from his election while subsequently ensuring a review of the constitution to plug the loopholes that encouraged its rape.
The religious leader also charged the new CAN President to sustain the organisation’s faith in the secularity of the Nigerian State and its opposition to membership of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC).
He also called on Onyekunle to make CAN financially viable without depending on government so as to remain uncompromised to criticize and provide government and society honest advice and spiritual guidance.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Benjamin Obomanu has called on Christians in Rivers State to continue to pray for the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike to enable him to deliver the Ecumenical Centre, whose foundation stone he laid during the recent celebration of his government’s one year in office.
Obomanu, who expressed appreciation to the governor for fulfilling his campaign promise to Christians in the state, noted that it was the crystallisation of a project which the immediate past Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Apostle Zilley Aggrey was passionate about.
“As the Director, National and State Issues and Social Welfare in that executive, I share the joy of that achievement”, he said.
The religious leader noted that the Ecumenical Centre would not only promote stronger unity among the five blocs of CAN in the state who are joint owners but will also yield revenue for CAN from the various services it would provide, including event halls.
“Christians in the state will be eternally grateful to Wike at the commissioning of the centre on completion”, Obomanu said.
Donald Mike-Jaja
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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

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.