News
RVHA Orders RSHMB To Pay Ex-Staff’s Full Benefits – Holds Public Hearing On Kenpoly, Wed
The Rivers State House of Assembly has directed the state Hospitals Management Board to pay the balance of what was left of Princewill Elekima’s entitlements after deducting the amount the board claimed the civil servant allegedly stole leading to his sack in 1989.
The directive was given, last Wednesday by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani after listening to contributions from lawmakers to the report of the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions chaired by the lawmaker representing Ogu/Bolo State Constituency, Hon. Evans Bipi, at the Assembly.
Ibani had argued that it was unfair for the board to selectively obey the advice of the Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice on the matter by withholding the balance, after deducting the N11,000.00 that the complainant allegedly stole.
Earlier, members had aligned with the recommendation of the committee that Elekima Princewill had a valid case, demanding that justice be seen to be done in the matter.
Among those who spoke at the plenary were Hons. Sam Ogeh, Martins Amaewhule, B. Anabraba, Friday Nke-eh and Edison Ehie.
In a related development, the Rivers State House of Assembly has also directed the Ministries of Environment, and that of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs to ensure that Total E&P takes immediate steps to address the pollution arising from operational oil spill which affected eight communities in Ahoada–East Local Government Area of the state in 2015.
The decision was taken after debates on the report submitted by the Hon. Evans Bipi-led House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions, which looked into the petitions of the affected communities.
Contributing on the report, Edison Ehie, who noted that the affected communities were in his constituency, disclosed that the area was deserted because of the pollution that affected water and farm lands, destroying the people’s means of livelihood.
Both the speaker and other contributors, however, commended the committee for doing a thorough job, including meeting with the parties involved and visiting the affected communities to see things for themselves.
Observing that relevant federal laws in Nigeria were against the interest of host communities and giving so much leverage to multinational companies to operate without consideration, Ibani regretted the internal displacement of members of the affected communities, with the implication of human inertia among the very old ones among them.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education has fixed next Wednesday to conduct public hearing on the Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic Bill 2017.
The public hearing, scheduled to hold at the Rivers State Assembly Auditorium, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt at 10am, will afford stakeholders in the education sector as well as other interested members of the public, avenue to make contributions to the proposed law.
A statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo, stated that copies of the bill “are available for collection in Room 057, First Floor, Assembly Complex.”
The statement further indicated that for those who have memoranda, it should be submitted on or before Tuesday, 14th November, 2017, to the same venue.
It further appealed to all stakeholders, especially Rivers people with interest in how best to reposition the polytechnic to ensure active participation and contribution at the public hearing as the provisions of the bill therefrom would form the fulcrum of the enabling law for the institution, going forward.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Rivers State chapter has suspended its proposed industrial action.
The suspension is coming on the heels of the intervention of the state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The Tide reports that the leadership of organized labour in Rivers State had visited PASAN and the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, last Monday, with a view to consolidating on ongoing dialogue to resolve existing impasse.
Following the interface arising from the visit, it was gathered that both parties had agreed to allow the leaderships of NLC and TUC midwife negotiations between PASAN and the management of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission.
It was learnt that the bone of contention has been the non-payment of statutory four years’ allowances as well as very poor working conditions and staff welfare in the Assembly.
It would be recalled that before the last minute intervention, PASAN was at the verge of a three-day warning strike that would have led to a total industrial action by workers of the Assembly.

L-R: President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel de Souza, Secretary-General, West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF),Komlan Messie and representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr Ba Abdarrahmane, during the 12th Annual ECOWAS-Development Partners Coordination meeting in Abuja, last Wednesday.
News
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
News
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
News
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.
-
Business4 days ago
Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP
-
News4 days ago
Demonstrate Commitment In Improving Host Communities, Ibas Tells Corps Members
-
Politics4 days ago
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
-
Opinion4 days ago
How Reliable Is AI
-
Business4 days ago
NCDMB, Dangote Refinery Unveil JTC On Deepening Local Content
-
Politics4 days ago
Keyamo Inaugurates Ganduje As FAAN Board Chair
-
Rivers4 days ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
Politics4 days ago
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF