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RSG Biometric Capture 44,435 Workers …Drags 5,342 Firms, 101,500 Individuals Into Tax Net …As Wike Uses ICT To Boost Service Delivery, Create Jobs
Two years after deployment, the Rivers State Government developed online portal, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’, has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries, departments and agencies.
The portal, which works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system, also identified 1,031 civil servants as having retired between January and May this year.
The government further said that the essence of the platform was to build an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) backbone to boost service delivery and create jobs for teeming unemployed youth in the state.
The media consultant working on the project, Maple Dappa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Port Harcourt, added that the scheme was a conscious and deliberate effort geared towards creating a knowledge-based economy, designed to improve service delivery, create jobs and opportunities for the teeming youth population.
Dappa said these investments have basically centred on the development and deployment of database management and administration system in the areas of public service, tax collection, the education sector, court-related processes and activities as well as the development and deployment of an employment portal.
He said ICT has long been identified as having the potential to better the lots of developing countries like Nigeria, if fully maximized, especially in driving business opportunities, pushing for inclusion, fostering transparency, and impacting areas like healthcare, the financial sector, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Dappa named the tax collection system in the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) as a major area of breakthrough where maximum impact has so far been achieved.
He said the RIRS was about managing most of its tax processes and tax clearance certificate process online.
According to him, “For years, Rivers State was plagued with stories of multiple taxation, tax evasion and avoidance, tax refunds, poor tax administration.
“To tackle this, the government introduced the Rivers State Tax Management Information System (RivTaMiS), an online platform that provides taxpayers and tax administrators a convenient and effective means of paying and managing taxes and tax information.
“It also enables task payers to own and have their task records.
“Set up as a collaboration between the Rivers State ICT Department and the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RSIRS), by May this year, the platform had registered 5,342 tax-paying organizations and 101, 500 individual taxpayers.
“Out of this number of paying organizations, 2,800 have filed annual returns and 408 making tax clearance certificates via the RivTaMiS platform”, Dappa said.
On ghost worker syndrome that has bedevilled the system over the decades, Dappa said: “The government developed an online portal called, ‘Rivers State Public Service Management Information System (RivPuSMiS)’. The portal works as a platform to capture the biometrics of public servants and their employment history in order to plan and monitor the public service system.
“Since it came into effect two years ago, the system has successfully captured 44,435 public servants across 79 ministries and 1,031 of them identified as retired between January and May this year”, Dappa says.
Dappa said the ICT scheme has also helped to change the narrative of the creeks of the state.
“Riv-TechCreek is poised to deliver quality ICT innovations (products and services) through learning, creating and connection in the Niger Delta region and beyond,” says Dappa.
Dappa says since last year, TechCreek has trained over 4,000 people in total, including children during holidays, young adults, teachers, young professionals and civil servants. Training focuses on areas such as database administration, coding, animation, designs, robotics, as well as third-party trainings hosted at the TechCreek facility housed inside the Rivers ICT department building in Port Harcourt.
In education, the Rivers State Education Information Management System (RivEMiS) was set up to remove a hitherto existing manual system that made the management of the sector rigorous, the government said.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nyesom Wike on ICT, Ibifuro Asawo, said, “At present, RivEMis is used to manage the procedures for registering a new school, renewing existing registrations, schools’ inspection and approvals, transfer certificates, registration for state-wide examinations like the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and certificate printing. Beyond that, it tracks the registration of private and public schools, enrolment of pupils and students in both private and public schools”.
According to him, “the result has been the tracking of 4,335 schools, with 2,618 being private schools while 1,717 are public.
“About 67,523 candidates who have registered for state’s 2019 Basic Education Certificate Examination in 867 private and public schools across the 23 local governments of the state have been captured using the system.”
He talked about employment scalability, adding that over 19,000 job seekers were trained.
The state’s ICT team created RivsJobs, an online portal that serves as a convergence for employers of labour and jobseekers.
“Upon appropriate research and findings, the Rivers State Jobs (RivJobs) website was developed and deployed as an online platform that connects job seekers with prospective employers.
“The key agenda is to create a robust online portal that connects employers to talents and serves as the dashboard for monitoring job creation and employment activities in the state.
“The RivJobs portal enables employers and companies to register and advertise for available jobs while allowing job seekers to find suitable opportunities for employment. To further improve the chances of getting job seekers their preferred jobs, various employability trainings were conducted for registered jobseekers,” says Asawo.
Asawo, added that digital developments underway to be deployed include: Rivers State Health Management Information System (RivHMiS), Rivers State Court Management Information System for the judiciary (RivCoMiS), Rivers State Integrated Lands, Urban and Housing Management Information system (RivILUHMiS), a state website, portal and a digital application for information dissemination, a policy to oversee the use of ICT in the state and a ‘Linkage and Partnerships’ initiative that would basically work to partner with technology giants like Google, Facebook and Microsoft on ways to empower youths and create opportunities.
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Fubara Frowns At Slow Pace Of Ndele–Omofo–Egmini–Agba-Ndele Road Project ….Says Contract May Be Reviewed
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of work on the 14.5-kilometer Ndele/Omofo/Egamini/Agba-Ndele Road project located off the East–West Road in Emohua Local Government Area.
Addressing newsmen during an inspection tour of the project on Tuesday, the Governor noted that the pace and quality of work being delivered by the contracting firm, Messrs Stream Co. & Equipment Limited, fell below acceptable standards.
He was accompanied on the tour by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, who briefed the Governor on the status of the project and adjoining infrastructure.
Governor Fubara, who appeared visibly unsatisfied with what he saw on the stretch of the road, said his administration would not condone mediocrity or allow public funds to be wasted on underperforming projects. He, therefore, hinted that a review of the contract may be imminent to ensure the delivery of quality infrastructure to the people.
“I can say here already that the contractor handling the road from the bridge to the East–West Road is not doing a good job. I’m not happy about it. When I get back, there will be a need to review that contract because I’m not impressed. They don’t have the capacity, and we need capacity because we must have value for whatever money we’re spending,” the Governor said.
The Governor, however, commended Setraco Nigeria Limited for the standard and pace of work on the 240-meter Agba-Ndele/Abua Bridge, which forms a major component of the project. He explained that the bridge, which his administration inherited, would significantly improve connectivity among communities in the area once completed.
Governor Fubara stated that the bridge will serve as a key link between communities in Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, and Emohua Local Government Areas, reducing travel time and providing an alternative route to the East–West Road.
He emphasised that the project demonstrates his administration’s commitment to rural connectivity and inter-community access, which are central to his development vision for Rivers State.
“Where we are standing on is a bridge connecting Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, and Emohua Local Government Areas. The community that is connected to this bridge is Agba-Ndele.
“Instead of running through the East–West Road to Ahoada-East and heading into Port Harcourt or out of it, this bridge provides easy access for the Abua/Odual people to cross into Emohua, Agba-Ndele, and access the East–West Road in minutes,” he explained.
Governor Fubara also expressed optimism that the bridge would be ready for use in early 2026, noting that Setraco’s expertise and performance met his administration’s expectations for quality and delivery timelines.
He highlighted that projects of such importance should be handled by firms with the capacity to meet government standards.
The Governor further remarked that once completed, the bridge would serve as a crucial economic corridor for farmers and traders, especially those involved in agriculture and cultivation of local produce across the beneficiary local government areas.
He maintained that his administration is determined to deliver people-oriented projects that promote connectivity, strengthen commerce, and enhance livelihoods across the State.
“I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen on the bridge. I’m very sure that before the end of January, it might be completely ready for us to walk through and even drive across,” Governor Fubara said.
Reaffirming his vision for Rivers people, the Governor noted that his development plan seeks to integrate all parts of the State through strategic infrastructure investments that promote mobility, social cohesion, and economic growth.
He explained that his government is executing projects across multiple local government areas to ensure balanced development and inclusivity.
Governor Fubara stated that the administration will soon address the deplorable state of the Abua/Ahoada Road, which he said, will be included in the 2026 state budget.
“Our vision is to connect the entire Rivers State together, especially communities that have challenges of access. The bridge here connects Abua/Odual and Ahoada-East to Emohua and Port Harcourt. It will ease movement, promote trade, and boost our economy because agriculture is strong on this side. Moving goods to the city won’t be a problem anymore,” he said.
Governor Fubara reiterated his administration’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure that provides value for public funds and meets the aspirations of Rivers people.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has unveiled plans to permanently relocate the dumpsite along the busy Port Harcourt Airport–Obiri-Ikwerre Road, describing the current location as both a public health threat and a damaging first impression for visitors arriving in Port Harcourt, the State capital.
The Governor made this known on Tuesday during an inspection of a proposed replacement site, which is a disused burrow pit near Bambo Estate, off Eneka Road in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The location is being assessed as a potential permanent dumpsite for the State.
Governor Fubara, who was conducted by the Board Chairman, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Dr Samuel Nwanosike, and its Managing Director, Dr Ibimina Wokoma, expressed concern about the environmental and health challenges posed by the existing site, which sits along a major entry point into the State.
“The kind of environmental hazards that we are facing there along the Airport–Obiri- Ikwerre Road; the smell on that road being the entrance into the State, we felt it’s not proper,” he said. “So, we are making alternative arrangements so we can have a permanent refuse dumpsite that meets acceptable standards.
“He added that the government would move swiftly to formalise ownership of the land and complete construction work on the access road to make the new site functional.“We have not concluded the issue of the burrow pit, but the access road, I think the government is doing something about it.
So, I will make sure that everything that needs to be done to ensure government owns this burrow pit is done,” he stated.
Governor Fubara also commended the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) for what he described as a more assertive and improved approach to managing refuse across the State.In addition to the dumpsite inspection, the Governor also visited the Permanent Secretaries’ Quarters located in Elimgbu Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, to assess the extent of ongoing construction work on the facility.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Benibo Anabraba, to uphold the dignity of his office, protect the interest of the State, and discharge his duties with honour, respect, and responsibility.
Governor Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in ceremony of the new SSG, held on Monday at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt.
Describing Anabraba’s appointment as an act of divine favour, the Governor said positions of leadership are not attained by our own human effort but by God’s grace in our lives.
“Let me first congratulate you. I’m using the word ‘congratulations’ because a few of us, not by our power but by the special favour of God, find ourselves in exalted positions. It’s not because we are the best, but only by His grace.”
Governor Fubara noted that the Office of the Secretary to the State Government is one of great honour, occupied by only a few since the creation of Rivers State, and urged the new appointee to serve with humility and dedication.
He, however, expressed confidence in Anabraba’s capacity to deliver, citing his past record as a principal officer of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“This position is a rare privilege. Guard that office with honour. Discharge your duties with respect. Protect the interest of Rivers State. When you leave office, let it be with honour, and that only comes through responsible service.
“I know you’re a dedicated person. This opportunity is not for show or display of power. It’s a call to duty,” he cautioned.
The Governor emphasised that the current administration is focused on restoring confidence of the people because peace has been achieved in the State.
He enjoined the new SSG to align with the vision of the administration and contribute meaningfully to the collective progress of Rivers people.
“We are emerging from a very difficult period and must reassure our people that we mean well for them, especially now that peace has returned to Rivers State. By the grace of God, do your work well. Help us succeed in this assignment that God has given to us,” the Governor added.
