Niger Delta
OBALGA CTC Chairman Clears Salary Arrears
The Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Obio / Akpor Local Govemment Area of Rivers State, Chief Prince Noble Amadi has set the machinery in motion to tum around the fortunes of the local government in accordance with the directives and mandate of the Governor of the State, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Barely one week in office, the council secretariat in Rumuodomaya has once more become a beehive of activities as the CTC Chairman has taken bold steps to put smiles on the faces of the people of the local government including residents of the area.
Already, workers of the Local Government Council are now counting their blessings, as the current administration, going by the Governor’s directive has cleared the backlog of salary arrears owed them.
Besides, the caretaker committee has launched ‘Operation Keep Obio / Akpor Clean’ to ensure that all nooks and crannies of the local government are kept clean and environmentally healthy. And to truly empower the people, the local government boss has constituted an empowerrnent committee and equally ordered the reopening and reactivation of the Rumuepirikom Skills Acquisition Centre for sons and daughters of the area to acquire one skill or the other, particularly those of them who are not engaged in any meaningful venture.
One of the cardinal policies of the present caretaker committee is to rebrand the local government by sanitising the revenue collection mechanism which had in the past seemingly destroyed and tarnished the image of the local government. With dissolution of all functional committees including revenue committees in the local government, the caretaker committee chairman has swung into action to give revenue collection a human face, to the extent that fake revenue agents are now in for serious trouble. Indeed, he is redefining revenue collection in the local government.
The council has already banned illegal street trading, as it is liaising with Community Development Committees (CDCs) in the various communities to assist in this direction.
Already, the Rumuekini Community has provided a piece of land within the market axis of the community for the purpose of relocating those selling liquor around the Obiri Ikwerre axis of the East- West Road. The unwholesome activIties of some businessmen and women operating around this area have often defaced the Gateway local government area.
Moreover, by virtue of the open door policy adopted by the present administration, the caretaker committee is expected to reach out to all spectrum of the Obio / Akpor society with a view to giving all and sundry a sense of belonging, to the extent that at the expiration of its tenure, the people would be glad enough to say that they have never had it so good.
These were some of the insights the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Chief Prince Noble Amadi offered in an exclusive interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt recently. He said the overall vision of his government is to run an open door administration because as he put it, he is a servant of the people rather than a leader. “My appointment is a call to serve the people. I am not a leader. I am a servant of the Obio / Akpor people”.
He also revealed that going by the Govemor’s directive, workers of the council have been paid their salaries up to date.
“If you interview the workers, they will tell you that they are happy with His Excellency. That a caretaker committee chairman has come and carried out what the Governor said. I have told people that I must obey all the directives of the Govemor. I am not owing workers salaries. And I will never owe”, he said.
“On revenue collection, the council chairman noted that those doing business in the local government as well as those who own property are only permitted to pay Tenement Rate as approved by the Rivers State GovemmenL Now, what we intend doing is revenue collection with dignity. You don’t go and begin to beat people. We have said that anybody that rnasquerades as corning from the Chairman’s office or the council should be snapped. What we intend doing is to ensure that touting is reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.
Against thiS~drop, therefore, he directed the people to
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soon as anybody comes to them to demand revenue, adding that security agents would not hesitate to arrest any fake revenue agent. “I have addressed all revenue officers and contractors of Obio / Akpor because I have dissolved all functional committees and all revenue committees. I have also asked them to apply. We will scrutinise. We will know where they live. They will give us two passport size photographs. And each of the revenue committees must work with the police. The essence of this is to get it right.
We don’t want to tarnish the image of the State,” he said.
Chief Amadi also stressed the need for people of the state to continue to support Governor Wike.
“The Governor has done a lot. If you travel from one local govemment to another, you will see roads, hospitals, bridges and a lot of what the Governor has done including human capacity development. In all the sectors, the Govemor has performed. That is why he has gotten lots of awards. I want to say that all Rivers people should support the Govemor for second term in office because Rivers State is POP. Obio/ Akpor is POP. Everybody should go and get his PVC. PVC gives you a voice in 2019”, he said.
Donatus Ebi
The Head of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba, has charged the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (NAOMEW) World Wide, to be committed to professionalism, patriotism and effective service delivery in the discharge of their duties and rendering of patriotic gestures.
Mrs Gbaraba gave the charge yesterday when the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter paid her a courtesy call in her office in Port Harcourt.
She expressed deep appreciation for the visit, and assured the Association of her commitment to being a worthy Ogoni Ambassador like late Mr Augustine Nwikinaka, former General Manager of the corporation, to promote the fortunes of the corporation, while counting on their unflinching encouragement, prayers and support to succeed.
“ I am very happy to receive the National Association of Ogoni Media House Workers (The Tide Chapter) today in my office. I am glad you people came to my office, for those that know me in a short while in the corporation, I am a serious-minded person. I heard that the time the corporation was functioning well was under the leadership of late Austin Nwikinaka. Any where I go to, I will rather come down and show working example and that is what the Ogoni person is known for. So I am always proud to associate myself with an Ogoni man, so your support means so much to me,” Mrs Gbaraba said.
She assured them of running an open-door policy in the management of the corporation, and urged stronger partnership between NAOMEW, other unions, interest groups, corporate organisations, institutions and the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in professional service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the NAOMEW, The Tide Chapter, the National Secretary of the association, Comrade Taneh Beemene welcomed her into The Tide family and also congratulated her on her very important appointment.
Taneh, who expressed confidence in her experience and abilities to deliver on her assignments, thanked her for the uncommon feats recorded in the corporation within her brief leadership. He said the corporation has been revived from its comatose status that predated her appointment.
“ Within your short time, you have given the corporation a remarkable facelift. We pray that God should give you the enablement to restore the dignity of the corporation. We have come to inform you that we are solidly behind you and will make our untiring contributions to make you succeed, “ he stated.
In his vote of thanks and closing remarks, the Chairman, National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Production Workers (NUPPPPROW), Comrade Keyirale Donatus Nwiueh thanked the Head of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Stella Dornubari Gbaraba for receiving the association in a warm manner, adding that she should count on the support of the association to succeed.
Kiadum Edookor
Niger Delta
OBALGA Sole Administrator Presents Brand New Fire Extinguishers To Council …Commiserates With Traders Over Rumuomasi Market Fire Incident …Commences Desilting Of Drainages
The Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has presented 150 brand new fire extinguishers to the council.
Dr Walter who spoke to newsmen at the council premises at Rumuodumanya said the gesture was part of measures by his administration to ensure safety of lives and council property from unforeseen fire incidents.
He urged the staff of the council to ensure the safety of the extinguishers, while promising to engage experts to teach them how to handle and operate the extinguishers.
Meanwhile, Sole Administrator of Obio Akpor Local Government Council, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter has commiserated with traders at the Rumuomasi Market over the unfortunate fire incident that gutted parts of the market.
Dr Walter who visited the market to assess the level of damage caused by the fire, described it as unfortunate
Addressing the crowd of distressed traders and community members, Dr. Walter acknowledged the historical significance of the market, which was originally built under the administration of the former Obio/Akpor Chairman and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON.
He noted that preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, though a full investigation is still underway.
“As a local government, we will constitute a thorough investigation team to determine the root cause of the fire,
“Most importantly, we thank God that no lives were lost. I want to assure our traders that the Local Government will not abandon you.
“We will also work with security operatives to safeguard salvaged goods and prevent further losses,” he said.
He encouraged traders to adopt stricter safety measures, especially concerning electrical appliances in markets prone to fire hazards.
“There are many ways fires can ignite, even without an open flame. Let us all be vigilant and prioritise safety,” he cautioned.
Dr. Walter also commended those who stepped in to assist during the emergency.
“We are grateful to all who helped salvage goods and support affected persons during the crisis. Your kindness embodies the spirit of Obio/Akpor. The forthcoming investigation will help us put preventive structures in place,” he said.
The Chairman of the market, Mr. Prince Adele, who accompanied Dr. Walter, during the inspection, identified K-Lane as the most severely affected area.
A statement by the information officer to the council, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said no incident of death was reported by the traders during the visit.
In another development, the Sole Administrator of Obio/Akpor local government council, Sir Clifford Ndu Walter, has commenced a comprehensive canal clearance campaign with a view to identifying and removal of all blockages including illegal structures hindering the free flow of waters in the area.
A statement from the council Press Secretary, Ominini Leslie Wokoma said during the inspection of key canals in the area, several unauthorised barricades and blockages were discovered and removed.
According to the statement, Dr Walter emphasised that illegal dumping, unapproved structures and poor drainage habits endanger communities and undermine government efforts, adding that his administration is committed to protecting lives and property of the citizens.
It said the Sole Administrator also declared his readiness to ensure that all canals and drainages are cleaned, maintained and functioning effectively.
He also warned against further dumping of waste in waterways, citing impending flooding.