Featured
I’ve Not Disappointed Rivers People -Wike
…Says Opposition Disappointed Over Suspended NLC Protest
…As RSG, Labour Reach Agreement
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says he has utilised the mandate given to him by Rivers people to provide basic infrastructure for them.
He has also stated that he is proud to be contributing his quota to the development of the state.
Wike stated this while speaking to journalists after inspecting the Rebisi, GRA, Rumuola and Rumuogba flyover bridges, and ongoing road construction work in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas of the state.
He stated that through passion and commitment he has judiciously utilized scarce resources for the development of the state.
“It is not the amount of resources you get that determines the kind of projects you carry out for your people.
“It is your commitment, your passion for the development of your people. If you have very good resources and you don’t have the passion and commitment, resources cannot be utilized for the good of the people.
“If you have the passion and commitment as we do, even the little resources that we have, will be judiciously used for the development of our state,” he said.
Wike expressed happiness with the speed at which the various flyover bridges are advancing, emphasizing that the Rebisi flyover would be completed by December this year while the Rumuogba and Okoro-Nu-Odo flyovers would be completed by February, 2021.
He described the Rebisi flyover as an engineering masterpiece and commended Julius Berger for delivering a quality project.
“I am indeed proud that I am able to contribute my own little quota to the development of our state.
“I have not abused the mandate given to me by Rivers people and I have also not disappointed them,” he stated.
On the outcome of the negotiation with organised labour, the governor expressed satisfaction that all contending issues were amicably resolved during the meeting.
He said that the opposition parties and those who thought the state would be plunged into crisis were disappointed.
“All the issues were mere understandings and now that they have understood our position, they said they have to suspend the protest.
“So for me, I am happy that there was nothing like conflict. At the end of the day, those of them who were thinking that Rivers State will be shut down were highly disappointed,” he added.
Also speaking, the Project Manager, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Port Harcourt, Mr. Finn Drosdowsky, thanked the state government for entrusting the projects to them, and assured that the various flyovers would be completed on schedule.
The organized labour has suspended the planned protest scheduled for September 8, 2020 in Rivers State.
This is sequel to the agreement reached between the Rivers State Government and labour leaders at a meeting held at Government House, Port Harcourt, which ended at the early hours of yesterday.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who read the agreement, said both parties agreed to sign the agreement on the implementation of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments.
Wabba announced that the state NLC Secretariat that was sealed for the correction of structural defects, would be unsealed while government continues with correction work, if any.
He stated that the state government would immediately restore the remittance of check-off dues and pay all outstanding arrears to the respective labour unions.
According to him, government would pay the salaries withheld from health workers due to the 2017 strike action.
The NLC president also said that both parties agreed to set up a Tripartite Committee to resolve the adjustment of pensions in line with the Constitution and payment of Pension and Gratuity.
Parties, he said, agreed to take steps to discontinue all on-going litigations in relation to hitherto disputed matters.
Wabba added that the state government has agreed not to victimise any worker on account of his or her involvement in the industrial dispute.
He commended the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his statesmanship that facilitated the resolution of the dispute, and pledged labour’s support to move the state forward.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo; Head of Service, Barrister Rufus Godwins; the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim; and the Executive Assistant to the Governor, Dr. Ayebaesin Beredugo; signed on behalf of Rivers State Government.
Those who signed on behalf of the organized labour, include, General Secretary, NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja; Secretary General, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Musa Lawal; Chairman, NLC, Rivers State, Comrade Beatrice Itubo; Chairman, TUC, Rivers State, Comrade Austin Jonah; Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Rivers State, Comrade Chuku Emecheta; and Secretary General, TUC, Rivers State, Comrade Obi Fortune.
In separate interviews with The Tide, yesterday at NLC Secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State chapter, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, said the immediate intervention of the governor saved the mutual relationship between labour and the state government from collapsing.
Itubo said the labour leaders have no personal issues with the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike in the state, and dispelled insinuations that organized labour in the state was being sponsored by the detractors of the government.
According to her, “Governor Wike is doing well in terms of infrastructural development”, saying that “workers only disagree with his government in the area concerning the welfare of workers”.
She expressed optimism that the state will implement all issues discussed in the agreement.
Also speaking, the National President of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, commended Governor Nyesom Wike for developmental strides in Rivers State.
Josiah said that despite the lapses in the welfare of civil servants, the governor was performing very well in the state.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the state government to also transfer the pay point of primary health workers to the state government.
On his part, the Chairman, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Comrade Anthony Nwachukwu, hailed the resolutions reached during the negotiations between the state government and the organised labour to avert the planned protest in the state.
He said that the protest would have sent a bad signal on the government, if the governor had not intervened.
The union leader said JUSUN would revoke its position on the shelved strike, if the issues of promotion arrears remain unresolved.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.
The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.
The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.
President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.
The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.
The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.
The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.
Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.
Fubara gave the charge on Wednesday while declaring open the 126th, 127th and 128th Combined Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council, in Port Harcourt.
The governor said the primary function of traditional rulers is to administer justice and ensure fairness, saying their conduct must not lead to division and unmanageable crises.
“Let me therefore, request, if that is the right word to use, that please, as we are entering into this political season actively, everyone should ensure that your conduct promoted peace in your place. Your actions should not be what would lead to the division and multiple crisis that we cannot manage as a government.
“I think with that, we can all live as one and we can also continue to make this progress that we are trying with all our mind, our body and our soul, to ensure that we deliver to our dear State,” he said.
Fubara urged the royal fathers to abide by the oath and constitution they swore to before ascending their respective stools, in the interest of stability and progress of the State.
He also enjoined them to set aside individual sentiments and place the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations, noting that this principle has guided his own day-to-day governance of the State.
“I want to enjoin everyone to keep aside issues of individual sentiments and ensure that the interest of our state supersedes whatever thing that we have in our mind. This is not just what I’m saying here, it is what I’ve also practiced and displayed in my day-to-day life in the governance of our dear State,” he said.
On the appeal for improved welfare for traditional rulers, the governor clarified that the delay in actualising some of the requests they made in the past was not from the government but from the inability of the Council to put its house in order.
Fubara explained that the issue of stipends paid to the traditional rulers by the local government councils, was a statutory benefit provided for in the constitution and not what a state governor can change by mere verbal pronouncements.
He assured that he remains a man of his word and will fulfill his promises to the traditional rulers before leaving office, next year.
He reaffirmed his respect for the traditional institution as custodians of culture and the closest link to the people, thanking them for their prayers and support.
The governor urged the royal fathers to ensure that the combined quarterly meeting featured fruitful deliberations that will strengthen peace and development in the State.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu Wodo, expressed profound gratitude to the State Government for its efforts in maintaining a cordial relationship with the traditional institution.
Wodo highlighted the importance of traditional rulers in conflict resolution, noting that their closeness to the people places them in a strategic position to mediate in disputes involving chieftaincy matters, family disputes and land ownership in their respective communities.
The royal father drew the attention of the State Government to some challenges affecting the performance of the traditional institution, particularly the lack of official utility vehicles and logistical support needed to discharge its responsibilities effectively.
He also appealed for improved monthly stipends and better welfare provisions to reflect prevailing economic realities.
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