News
PDP To Buhari: Revert VAT Rate To Five Percent

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to revert the Value Added Tax (VAT) to its original five percent.
Government had, in January, affected an upward review of VAT to 7.5 percent; a development the PDP said had forced multiple taxation on the Nigerian people and businesses.
Making the call during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said the nation’s was sliding into bankruptcy.
“Our country is in a very bad shape, the populace is groaning in pains and the government’s response is heaping of further pains on them. This country is sliding into bankruptcy.
“Amidst the frightening insecurity accompanied by mass killings that have set fears on the people, what you get from government is multiple tariffs, VAT etc and continued indulgence in lies and propaganda,” Secondus said.
Bemoaning the parlous security situation in the country, the party chairman said the country was at the crossroads, due to the poor handling of hydra headed security challenges.
The party chairman further stated that, “The security situation in the country has refused to abate and nothing concrete is being done by the government to ameliorate it and stop the senseless killing of innocent Nigerians.
“The truth about this country is that Nigerians don’t really know who is in charge. It appears that governance is in autopilot with government agencies in a free world harassing and intimidating perceived enemies”.
He deplored the refusal by President Buhari to overhaul the nation’s security architecture for greater efficiency, as demanded by the National Assembly a few weeks ago.
Describing the attitude of the federal government to the security challenges as insensitive to the plight of the people, Secondus said Nigerians have never been as afraid of their lives as they are at the moment. “It’s as bad as that”.
He said, “In the Northeast, the Boko Haram insurgency has returned fully and the President feels shocked that the sect still exists.
“We are already used to our President not knowing what is going on in the country even though as President the buck stops on his table.
“The President may have been deceived by the intelligence reports from his field men who continue to indulge in propaganda, claiming that the sect has been defeated even when the situation is worsening with banditry and kidnapping spreading all over the states.
“Nothing exposes the President’s insensitivity and distance from the reality and from the people like his shock that Boko haram still exists.
“But what do we expect when the President’s Chief of Staff is at loggerheads with the President’s number one aide. Your guess will be as good as mine on why this administration cannot move this nation forward”.
Describing the judiciary as a sacred institution, the party chair observed that the judiciary has been put under intense pressure by some unnamed agencies of government.
“These are big issues and concerns capable of demoralising us. But I urge all not to despair because God is not finished with this country and with faith in Him, we shall overcome”.
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.
-
Politics21 hours ago
Keyamo Inaugurates Ganduje As FAAN Board Chair
-
News21 hours ago
Demonstrate Commitment In Improving Host Communities, Ibas Tells Corps Members
-
Politics20 hours ago
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar
-
Opinion21 hours ago
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
-
News18 hours ago
I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
-
News21 hours ago
2027: I Stand With Southern Presidency -Ortom
-
Rivers21 hours ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
News20 hours ago
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman