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Recover Govt Property From Illegal Occupants, Wike Charges Task Force …Explains Focus On Massive Urban Renewal
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has inaugurated the state Task Force for the Recovery of Government Properties, with a charge to members of the task force to work diligently for the state.
Inaugurating the committee in Government House, Port Harcourt, last Monday, Wike said several permanent secretaries and top civil servants have retired from service, but were still illegally occupying government quarters.
Wike noted that several attempts to ensure that they vacate government quarters, so that serving officers can reside in such houses have met with resistance from the retired senior civil servants.
“You are by this inauguration required to recover all government properties illegally occupied by some persons.
“There are many civil servants who have retired from service, but are still occupying government buildings several years after retirement. This has made it difficult for those in service to have official quarters allocated to them”, he said.
The governor told members of the task force that they would face challenges while carrying out their responsibilities, and advised them to be firm.
He assured that the Rivers State Government would provide the required security and logistical support for them to carry out their functions.
Wike said that some top civil servants have gone as far as taking illegal measures to own government properties, noting that in some blocks of flats, some have gone to illegally acquire Certificates of Occupancy (CoOs).
“If you are a civil servant, you already know when you are to retire. Therefore, you have to plan for retirement.
“It is regrettable that some civil servants even fail to maintain government buildings where they reside. Do this assignment diligently. Except there is a clear court order, recover government buildings that have been illegally occupied”, he directed members of the task force.
The governor also charged the task force to locate government lands that have been illegally occupied and recover same.
Responding, Chairman of the Task Force for the Recovery of Government Properties, Barrister Rufus Godwins appreciated the governor for the confidence reposed in the members to carry out the important responsibility.
Godwins, who is also the Head of Service, assured the Rivers State governor that the task force would locate, identify and recover all government properties illegally occupied.
He said where the task force meets resistance; it would recommend prosecution of the affected persons to the office of the Attorney General of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has explained that the ongoing urban renewal of Port Harcourt City and adjoining towns of the state capital was aimed at returning the city to its Garden City status.
Speaking after inspecting ongoing projects, last Monday, Wike said that his administration was committed to reconstructing key roads in the state capital to ease traffic congestion and boost the economy.
He said because his administration was committed to constructing roads that would last, adding that 70 per cent of the urban renewal scheme would be handled by a Nigerian-based international construction company.
“We are working hard to return Port Harcourt City to its Garden City status. That is why we have embarked on massive urban renewal across the state capital.
“Seventy per cent of the roads under construction will be handled by international construction company, Julius Berger. We are committed to delivering roads that will last for the people of the state”, he said.
On one of the roads under construction near the Polo Club, Port Harcourt, Wike said that he would invite the management of Polo Club to work towards removing the shanties that deface the area.
He said if the management of Polo Club fails to act, the state government would be compelled to take tough action.
“We cannot allow the kind of shanties that I am seeing here. I have sent for the President of Port Harcourt Polo Club to come and give them notice to quit”, he said.
The governor said that the Judges’ Quarters have already been completed, while contractors were concluding work on the external services, especially the drainage system.
He said that the Mother and Child Hospital would be completed by the end of the year, and commended the quality of work done by the contractors.
Wike was accompanied on the project inspection by the Rivers State Chairman of PDP, Bro Felix Obuah and Senator Olaka Nwogu.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.
The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.
According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.
“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.
“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.
The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.
Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.
“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.
“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.
“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.
“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.
In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.