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Polls Violence: Wike Sets Up Panel To Identify Victims
The Rivers State Government has set up a committee to identify those killed during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
The committee also has the responsibility of identifying the soldiers who died during the Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 2, 2019 killings.
The high-powered committee is headed by the state Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
Speaking during a memorial service in honour of Abonnema people and soldiers who died on February 23 and March 2, 2019, at St Paul’s Nyemoni Church, last Wednesday, Wike said that the committee would have the responsibility of also identifying the bereaved families.
He said: “A committee headed by the deputy governor will identify those who died and their families. Government will give them necessary assistance.
“The committee will also identify damaged property affected by the election crisis, so that the Rivers State Government will offer the required assistance for their repair”.
The governor said that the Rivers State deputy governor will lead a high-profile delegation to the Nigerian Army to commiserate with them on the death of their personnel during the Presidential and National Assembly elections and on March 2, 2019 at Abonnema.
He commiserated with the bereaved families in Abonnema and the families of the soldiers who died during the elections, and prayed God to comfort them.
The governor condemned politicians who promote political violence, saying that they should be compelled to present their children to execute political violence.
“I appeal to politicians to understand that power comes from God. Those who foment trouble should be asked to bring their grown up children to execute political violence.
“God has done it for Abonnema and Rivers State. We will have peace. I urge all leaders to work with the Traditional Council to bring peace. Take all necessary measures for peace to reign. The Rivers State Government will support you”, he said.
Wike urged Rivers people not to be provoked despite the antics of those determined to cause crisis during the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
The governor appealed to security agencies not to allow politicians to use them to cause violence or disrupt voting on Saturday.
He berated the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for describing the peaceful town of Abonnema as the hideout of militants.
The Amayanabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Bob-Manuel said that the Akuku-Toru Local Government Traditional Council got intelligence that there might be violence during Presidential and National Assembly elections and took measures to forestall it, adding that one of the major political parties refused to sign the peace accord.
He said that ahead of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections, the traditional council held another peace meeting, yesterday, where a peace accord was expected to be signed.
He warned that any political party that fails to sign would be held responsible should violence break out.
The Amayanabo of Abonnema said the Abonnema people have learnt the bitter lesson and they will ensure that the ugly incident does not happen again.
In his sermon, Pastor Christopher Briggs urged the people of Abonnema to come to God in repentance so that he will cleanse their land for the good of the area.
He said that Abonnema couldn’t have suffered the type of crisis if the people had learnt from history.
Prayers were said to seek God’s protection for Akuku-Toru Local Government Area and Rivers State during the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
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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.
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